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Tag: TUC

  • Dissolution of Ekiti Labour Unions can’t stand, says TUC boss

    Ekiti State Trade Union Congress (TUC) Chairman, Mr. Odunayo Adesoye, has said that the dissolution of all labour unions by some labour leaders and their supporters cannot stand.

    He described the dissolution of TUC, Nigeria Labour Congress (TUC) and Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) as illegal, null and void which contravenes labour law as prescribed by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

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    Adesoye also denied allegation that the labour leaders received N14 million from Governor Ayo Fayose to mobilize workers for his deputy, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, at the July 14 governorship election.

    He alleged that the ex-labour leaders who dissolved the unions and declared an indefinite strike were only trying to malign their personalities to gain recognition from the governor-elect, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

    Adesoye said: “I don’t think they have such power to dissolve an organized labour centres as former leaders. Only the national bodies could do such.

    “We have tried our best to ensure that the government paid outstanding salaries. We have not shirked our responsibilities, even the State Executive Council of NLC and TUC just passed vote of confidence in us.

    “It was very unfortunate that these leaders were trying to destroy the house that brought them up. We are trying our best to ensure that salaries are paid.

    “We are expecting government to reduce the outstanding to a reasonable level at the end of this month. So, the protest was in bad taste. The two what they wanted is political relevance.”

    On the allegation that they collected N14 million to mobilize for Fayose, Adesoye said: “It was blatant lie that we collected a sum of N14 million from Fayose, to do what?

    “It was a lie, blatant lie; they won’t succeed in this attempt to malign our personalities. Fayemi didn’t recognize them and they wanted it by force. I believe if they should get recognition, it has to be through a clean way.”

  • TUC urges Fed Govt on affordable housing for workers

    The President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, has berated the Federal Government for not taking workers’ income into consideration in the housing projects being implemented across the nation.

    Kaigama said previous efforts to build houses for workers had remained white elephant projects because they did not plan for the workers by knowing their salary strengths.

    He said: “When you are building houses and you do not know your offtakers’ status, your effort will be in vain. What we have currently is a case of building for the upper class.”

    He spoke in Abuja at a stakeholders’ forum to announce a partnership between workers of the Voice of Nigeria (VON) and Value Chain Consults.

    The partnership is for Value Chain Consults to construct houses for VON workers.

    Kaigama said the project would cover two states in each geopolitical zone, with special ones in Abuja and Lagos in the first phase. He noted that the project which had the backing of President Muhammadu Buhari was an important incentive to make workers more productive, prevent corruption, as well as check insecurity.

    He praised Value Chain Consults for carrying out detailed housing affordability survey for the civil servants, which would eliminate the problem of unoccupied houses due to the inability of workers to pay, and also commended them for taking the pain to pre-qualify the workers before embarking on the construction of the houses.

    Kaigama wondered why international banks gave loans at single digit, while Nigerian banks charged as high as 25 percent interest from loans.

    VON Director General (DG)  Osita Okechukwu assured the workers that the project would be carefully executed for their benefit and that 20 hectares had been allocated at Lugbe for the first phase.

    “I want to assure you that when the planning stage is completed within the next two weeks, we will commence construction of the houses and Mr. President will commission them,” he said.

    He said VON staff would be accommodated the arrangement, starting with staff residing in Abuja.

     

  • TUC to FG: Tie Abacha loot to specific projects

    The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria ( TUC ) has asked the Federal Government to jettison the idea of sharing the $350 million recently returned to the country as part of the Abacha loot to Nigerians and instead tie the money to specific projects that would improve the lives of the people.

    In a statement signed by its National President and General Secretary, Bobboi Kaigama and Comrade Musa-Lawal Ozigi respectively, the TUC said the idea of sharing the money was unacceptable as it was a grand ploy to re-loot the recovered money.

    The statement reads: “the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) is not in support of the recent plan by Federal Government to share the $350 million (which is equivalent to N115 billion) recovered Abacha loot among estimated 300,000 households, with each getting around $14 (around N5, 000).

    “For us, this is unacceptable and can be termed another avenue to re-loot the loot. The recovered loot has to be tied to projects. We are people deficient in everything that makes life comfortable and worth living.

    “We lack the basic things of life; infrastructure – ranging from roads, modern rail system, hospitals and power to mention a few. Our education has collapsed. The technical schools have gone into extinction likewise science and technology.

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    “Mr. Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook, is among the five richest persons in the world now with $71 billion. What does he sell? Nothing. How many manufacturing companies does he have? None. Infotech is one aspect that the youths have interest in, yet there is no encouragement.

    “The argument that the Federal Government had been drawing money from other sources to fund the Social Investment Programme of the government, an APC initiative and promise made during 2015 electioneering campaigns is not tenable.

    “Those sources equally belong to our common  patrimony. It is on record that monies have been recovered since this administration came on board. And we cannot really say this is what government has been done with it. On this particular one we say no to sharing. Government must tie the money to projects.

    “This remains the only way it would have a significant impact on poverty alleviation and overall development of the country.  We have a population of about 200 million and government wants to share $350 million.

    “Our posers: What is the formula for sharing? By geographical zones?, Through state governors or by Individual families? Can someone explain something we don’t know? This government must learn to hear.

    “Our population and landmass should be an advantage. Unfortunately there hadn’t been creative thinking on the part of the leadership. We expect the authorities to do the right thing and stop creating wrong impressions. Repatriated funds should be transparently and accountably spent.”

  • 35 states owe workers’ salaries, says TUC

    35 states owe workers’ salaries, says TUC

    The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has raised the alarm that the number of states owing workers’ wages has increased to 35.

    Its President, Bobboi Kaigama, who made this known to reporters after the congress’ National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Lagos, said only Lagos State was up-to-date on salary payment and other benefits.

    It warned state governments against diverting money meant for workers’ salaries and other benefits into electioneering expenditure.

    Kaigama said, with the exception of Lagos, every other state in Nigeria owed one form of benefit or the other, including salaries, despite the Federal Government’s bailout and Paris Club refunds.

    He said: “We want to say without fear of contradiction that the only healthy state in this country that has no arrears of salaries and other wages or unpaid benefits is Lagos State. All the other states have one issue or the other in terms of salaries, wages or benefits of their workers that have not been paid. There is no exception.

    “You will find out that, if it is not one month’s salary that is not paid, it would be 13 months of gratuities or pensions that have not been paid. Or that contributory pension deductions are not being remitted or that there are certain promotion arrears and death benefits that have not been paid. So, I am telling you, taking this issue holistically, we can only say Lagos State is the only healthy state in this country.”

    The TUC leader added: “We keep saying that, if state governors cannot meet their obligations to their workers, they should just resign and leave the stage. We have continued to argue that, apart from the first generation states that were created by the military, there is no state that was created thereafter that did not have its submission that the state had the capacity to pay the wages of the workers in the state and other things. Ours is that probably those who are saying that we should go back to regional government are not misplaced because the trust we have in state government has been eroded. So, if it is just for the purposes of payment of salaries, no other developmental issues like infrastructure, health facilities, roads, rails transportation and so on, we are better off with regional government.

    On the ability of states owing the existing N18,000 minimum wage to pay a new minimum wage expected to be higher than the present one, Kaigama said it was corruption that made governors to owe workers.

  • TUC to resist planned increase in electricity tariff

    TUC to resist planned increase in electricity tariff

    The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria ( TUC ) has vowed to mobilize Nigerians to resist the proposed increase in electricity tariff as canvassed by the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, saying it was not the solution to the energy crisis in the country.

    The congress also asked political actors in the country to avoid hate speeches in the count down to the 2019 general elections.

    It expressed concern over the increasing volatile political terrain which it said is not good for the nation’s  democracy.

    The Congress, in a communique at the end of its National Executive Council meeting also expressed concern over the worsening security situation in the country, especially the resurgence of the Boko Haram insurgency and the persistent killings by suspected Fulani herdsmen in parts of the country.

    In the communique signed by its President, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama and Secretary General, Comrade (Barr.) Musa Lawal M. Ozigi, the congress wants the government to declare a state of emergency in the power sector as no nation can develop with power.

    The TUC said it was worried about the worsening security situation in the country and in particular condemned the recent killings across the country by Boko Haram, Fulani herdsmen and militiamen and asked the Federal Government to take drastic action to build citizens confidence in the system and ensure that the perpetrators of these heinous crimes are brought to book.

    It  observed that the political terrain has become volatile once again and therefore enjoined all political leaders to ensure that peace and order are maintained amongst their followers.

    “Politicians should avoid hate speeches so that both the common man and workers can attain fulfillment.  It also calls on the Governors owing workers to pay and not convert public funds and workers salaries for election purposes.”

    In the lingering fuel situation in the country, the TUC that the current situation in which the NNPC is the sole provider of fuel to the nation and absorbing subsidies is not healthy for the nation and the corporation and advised government to reimburse the NNPC so as to enable it to perform its primary obligation to the country.

     

     

  • Governors who can’t pay workers should resign – TUC

    Governors who can’t pay workers should resign – TUC

    The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria ( TUC ) on Saturday advised state governors who could not address workers’ problems to resign.

    The TUC President, Mr Bobboi Kaigama, said in Lagos that workers could no longer vouch for state governments that non-payment of salaries was as a result of lack of funds.

    He said that the non-payment could be due to corruption.

    Kaigama made the TUC’s views known while addressing journalists after the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.

    He said that it was only the Lagos State Government that had been regularly paying workers’ salaries and allowances.

    “All the other states have one issue or the other in terms of salaries or benefits of their workers.

    “ You will discover that it is 13 months’ arrears of gratuities or pensions that have not been paid.

    “In some cases, it is the contributory pension deductions that have not been remitted or promotions arrears and death benefits not been paid,” he said.

    He advocated a return to regional government, saying that state governments were failing in their responsibilities.

    “The trust we have in state government has eroded.

    “If it is for the purposes of payment of salaries and infrastructure development such as provision of health facilities, roads, rail transportation and others, we are better off with regional government,’’ Kaigama said,’’ he said.

    The union leader noted that President Muhammadu Buhari had approved bailout funds and budget support funding to enable states to settle workers’ salaries, to no avail.

    Kaigama said that accountability in Nigeria was weak, and called for the strengthening of anti-graft agencies.

    On national minimum wage, Kaigama said that state governments should be determined to pay the wage when approved.

    He also called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in the power sector due to its deteriorating condition.

    ”No nation can develop without power,” he said.

    The labour leader urged the government to arrest and prosecute killers of innocent Nigerians in the guise of herdsmen and militia in different parts of the country.

  • TUC gives govt six-month deadline on minimum wage

    TUC gives govt six-month deadline on minimum wage

    The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has given a six-month deadline to the National Minimum Wage Committee to come up with a new  minimum wage for  workers.

    The congress is also asking all  governors owing workers salaries to settle such arrears before the end of the first quarter of this year or face the full wrath of the workers.  The TUC also urged the  Federal Government to redouble its fight against corruption.

    In its new year message to  workers by its President, Bobboi Kaigama and General Secretary, Comrade Musa-Lawal Ozigi, the TUC said it could no longer accommodate this perennial fuel scarcity, especially during the yuletide or any other time.

    Urging the government to take immediate steps to address the perennial fuel scarcity in the land, the TUC warned that “If it happens we will  direct and mobilise our members all over the country to abandon their cars on major roads.”

    The message reads: “We wish to thank the Almighty God for the grace to see another year and equally appreciate all Nigerian workers for their endurance  and persistent quest for an egalitarian society.  Your tolerance and that of your wards is commendable. Truly the pain we bear is a needless one and we all shall work to correct the anomalies in 2018.

    “While we also laud governments at all levels for a number of successes recorded, it is instructive that the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria states here unequivocally that Nigerian workers have not only lost their jobs in millions, but many  even committed suicide when they could no longer fend for their families.

    “It is no news that pensioners (our senior servants) who served this country meritoriously die on a daily basis, even at verification locations throughout the country. Though their pension is not paid yet , they are burdened to feed their graduate children who are yet to get  jobs five years after graduation.

    “This is not the best of times in our country as Nigerians are subjected to various dehumanising conditions. How do we explain it, that in the midst of the gruelling fuel scarcity, many workers are still being owed up to six months salary.

    “Bailouts were given but unfortunately diverted by governors and the Federal Government seems not to be doing anything about it. Those governors involved in such irresponsible act should be brought to book. There is no milk of kindness left in our leaders anymore. They prefer state of the art monuments and houses as well as five star hotels to human life and the education of our children (the supposed leaders of tomorrow).

    “Families die on our roads, yet they tell us our roads are not as bad as some Nigerians claim. It is only in Nigeria people pay for services that they did not use.  If things remain like this the Congress may have no option than to hit the street.

    “We are worried by the astronomic rate factories close shop in Nigeria and the billions spent on medical tourism. There was a report recently decrying the spate at which our medical experts flee the country. Nigerians are brought back from Libya lame, blind and abused.

    “As an organisation we do not blame Libyans. We blame our leaders who have failed to provide the basic things of life. What about our young graduates who have now become prostitutes, political thugs, ritual killings and other criminal activities?

    The congress call on President Muhammadu Buhari to do the needful in putting the country on the path of progress, saying “we cannot continue to do the same thing and expect a different result. This is not how it is done in other climes.”

  • Nigeria still dancing naked at 57, says TUC

    Nigeria still dancing naked at 57, says TUC

    The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) said yesterday that 57 years after the nation’s independence, Nigeria was still “dancing naked” in the full glare of the world.

    It also said the nation’s roof was still on fire, and challenged the nation’s leadership to see this year’s independence celebration as an opportunity to reposition the country.

    The President of the Congress, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, said in his Independence Day message that Nigerians must look at the reality in the country dispassionately and honestly and work to achieve a better Nigeria for our children.

    He said: “Ordinarily, it should not be out of place if we roll out our drums today to celebrate this feat. But we cannot, because, like they say, you don’t participate in a dance competition when your house is on fire.

    “Nigeria is dancing at the market square naked to the full glare of the whole world when our roof is on fire.”

    According to him, over a 100 years after the north and south were amalgamated with the sole aim of complementing each other and the attainment of independence in 1960, many had thought that progress and development would be rapid, noting that this has not been so.

    He said that as a progressive organisation, the “Trade Union Congress of Nigeria appreciates the fact that we have stayed together as a country. It is something to cheer about like I noted earlier. But our staying together has been at the cost of innocent blood and outright violation of the fundamental rights of Nigerians.

    “This day should remind us of our heritage, the vision and struggles of the founding fathers. Unfortunately, some have had cause to question the rationale behind the quest for independence in the first place.

     

  • NLC, TUC to workers: ignore strike call by ULC

    NLC, TUC to workers: ignore strike call by ULC

    The Organised Labour made up of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) yesterday, accused the yet to be registered United Labour Congress (UCL) led by Joe Ajaero of blackmailing the Federal Government into setting aside legal requirements to register them, and declare that only registered trade union and federations have the legal right to declare a strike.

    The NLC and the TUC said at a joint news conference in Abuja that while the United Labour Congress which is yet to be registered has no legitimate right to call for a general strike, only the various unions have the right to call for a strike, adding that at the moment, none of the existing unions who are believed to be affiliates of the ULC have  declared any strike.

    Presidents of the NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba and TUC, Bobboi Kaigama, asked workers to disregard the strike called by the ULC saying it violates the labour law of the country. He pointed out that the real intention of the promoters of the ULC was to compel government to register them as the Federation of Trade Unions.

    Wabba described the ULC ultimatum as a mere attention seeking gimmick, adding that they had also “resorted to blackmail with the ultimate goal of using it as a  weapon to obtain registration.  We feel constrained to making the following comments on the unfolding situation.

    “Despite listing 12 demands in their 11th September press statement, we have no doubt that those behind the ultimatum were only hoping to blackmail the Federal Government and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to register their association as a central labour organisation, as they stated in their demand numbers 9-12.

    “We have no doubt the officials of the Federal Ministry of Labour would deal with the situation as the laws of the country governing labour relations are very clear on the procedure guiding registrations of trade unions and trade union centres.

    “Against the background of persistent mischief and dragging the names of our two centres in the mud by the promoters of the United Labour Congress, it has become pertinent to once again recall the events leading to their current desperation.”

    He said the promoters of the ULC have just collected forms for the registration of dozen of “shell trade unions or trade unions without membership”, adding that rather than wait to get registered, they just proclaimed their existence, perhaps because they know very well that by the extant laws-the Trade Union Act, and the Trade Union Amendment Act, there was no way they could get recognition and registration for the dozen or so “shell unions”.

    “These mushroom unions were carried out of existing industrial unions. However, the Trade Unions Act CAP T14, LFN, 2004, Section 3 (2) provided that: “But no trade union shall be registered to represent workers or employers in a place, where there already exists a trade union.

    “These fake unions had not been registered, and would not be registered since all the areas have effective union coverage presently that are affiliates of the NLC and TUC.

    “We had pointed out in our January 18th, 2017 letter to the Honourable Minister of the dangers posed by the activities of these erstwhile colleagues of ours, who rather than accept the decision of Nigerian workers to reject their leadership, are bent on creating anarchy in the industrial relations system in the country, by trying to register these mushroom and member-less unions.

    “In the same letter, we had drawn attention to the fact that under the 2005 amendment to the section 34 of the Principal Act, it was clearly stated that a (new) federation of trade union(s) may be registered if (a) I (b): “It is made up of 12 or more trade unions, none of which shall have been a member of another registered federation of trade unions”.

    “The main promoters of the so-called new federation are individuals from NUEE and NUPENG both are affiliates of the NLC. By the extant law as passed just some years ago, they cannot form another federation.”

    On his part, TUC President, Bobboi Kaigama said the Labour laws of the federation are very clear that un-registered trade unions and federation(s) are prohibited from functioning. Under this section, a federation of trade unions shall not come into existence until it is registered.

    He said: “Our erstwhile colleagues are therefore trying to take advantage of the unstable security and industrial relation situation in the country to increase the tension and give bad name to trade unionism.

    “Nigerians need to know that they are not a legitimate organisation recognised by the laws of our country. They are largely a collection of individuals who find it difficult to accept the will of Nigerian workers, as very clearly demonstrated during the March 12-13 2015 election that took place at the Eagle Square, Abuja in which they were roundly defeated.

    “We wish to state without equivocation that the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment has acted within the confines of the law by not registering ULC and the phantom unions they put forward. No unregistered organisations or individuals can hold our dear country to ransom.

    “We urge the Federal Ministry of Labour and workers to discountenance the threats of this illegal association. The ministry must be steadfast in upholding the laws governing trade union practice in the country.”

  • Strike notice: ULC is blackmailing FG to get registration – NLC, TUC

    Strike notice: ULC is blackmailing FG to get registration – NLC, TUC

    Organised Labour made up of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) on Friday accused the yet to be registered United Labour Congress (UCL) led by Joe Ajaero of blackmailing government into setting aside legal requirements to register them, and declare that only registered trade union and federations has the legal right to declare a strike.

    The NLC and the TUC said at a joint news conference in Abuja that the while the United Labour Congress which is yet to be registered has no legitimate right to call for a general strike, only the various unions have the right to call for a strike, adding that at the moment, none of the existing unions who are believed to be affiliates of the ULC have not declared any strike.

    Presidents of the NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba and TUC, Bobboi Kaigama asked workers to disregard the strike called by the ULC saying it violates the Labour of the country, pointing out that the real intention of the promoters of the ULC was to compel government to register them as the Federation of Trade Unions.

    Wabba describe the ULC ultimatum as a mere attention seeking gimmick, adding that they have also resorted to an exercise intent on blackmail with the ultimate goal of using this weapon to obtain registration, we feel constrained to making the following comments on the unfolding situation.

    He said “despite listing twelve (12) demands in their 11th September press statement, we have no doubt that those behind the ultimatum were only hoping to blackmail the Federal Government and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to register their association as a central labour organisation, as they stated in their demand numbers 9-12..

    “We have no doubt the officials of the Federal Ministry of Labour would deal with the situation as the laws of the country governing labour relations are very clear on the procedure guiding registrations of Trade Unions and trade union centres.

    “Against the background of persistent mischief and dragging the names of our two centres to the mud by the promoters of the United Labour Congress, it has become pertinent to once again recall the events leading to their current desperation.”

    He said the promoters of the ULC have just collected forms for the registration of dozens of “shell trade unions or trade unions without membership”, adding that rather than wait to get registration, they just proclaimed their existence, perhaps because they know very well that by the extant laws-the Trade Union Act, and the Trade Union Amendment Act, there was no way they could get recognition and registration for the dozen or so “Shell Unions”.

    “These mushroom Unions were carried out of existing industrial unions. However, the Trade Unions Act CAP T14, LFN, 2004, Section 3 (2) provided that: “But no trade union shall be registered to represent workers or employers in a place, where there already exists a trade union”.

    “These fake Unions had not being registered, and would not be registered since all the areas have effective Union coverage presently that are affiliates of the NLC and TUC.

    “We had pointed out in our January 18th, 2017 letter to the Honourable Minister of the dangers posed by the activities of these erstwhile colleagues of ours, who rather than accept the decision of Nigerian workers to reject their leadership, are bent on creating anarchy in the industrial relations system in the country, by trying to register these mushroom and member-less Unions.

    “In the same letter, we had drawn attention to the fact that under the 2005 amendment to the section 34 of the Principal Act, it was clearly stated that a (new) federation of trade union(s) may be registered if (a) I (b): “it is made up of 12 or more trade unions, none of which shall have been a member of another registered federation of trade unions”.

    “The main promoters of the so-called new federation are individuals from NUEE and NUPENG both are affiliates of the NLC. By the extant law as passed just some years ago, they cannot form another federation.”

    On his part, TUC President, Kaigama said the Labour laws of the federation is very clear that un-registered trade unions and federation(s) are prohibited from functioning. Under this section, a federation of trade unions shall not come into existence until it is registered.

    He said “Our erstwhile colleagues are therefore trying to take advantage of the unstable security and industrial relation situation in the country to increase the tension and give bad name to trade unionism. 

    “Nigerians need to know that they are not a legitimate organisation recognised by the laws of our country. They are largely a collection of individuals who find it difficult to accept the will of Nigerian workers, as very clearly demonstrated during the March 12-13 2015 election that took place at the Eagle Square, Abuja in which they were roundly defeated.

    “We wish to state without equivocation that the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment has acted within the confines of the law by not registering ULC and the phantom Unions they put forward.. No unregistered organisations or individuals can hold our dear country to ransom.

    “We urge the Federal Ministry of Labour and workers to discountenance the threats of this illegal association. The ministry must be steadfast in upholding the laws governing trade union practice in the country.”