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Tag: ULC

  • ‘Ex-minister goofed not registering ULC’

    The United Labour Congress (ULC) said the former Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, erred by denying it Certificate of Registration.

    Ngige, during the valedictory session, said his only regret was the inability to register the ULC as a Labour Centre in Nigeria.

    According to him, the ULC needed 12 new unions that have never been registered or been affiliated to any existing labour centre.

    Speaking with The Nation, ULC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero said Dr Nigige was wrong with the excuse he gave for not approving the registration of the centre.

    “That is why he was saying there were few unions remaining for the ULC to be registered. The law is very clear that 12 unions can form a centre, but the minister refused to recognise existing unions and instead is talking about forming 12 new unions.

    Read Also: Ngige to states: do not delay minimum wage payment

    “That is a complete breach of section 40 of the Nigerian constitution which says that everybody has a right to belong to a political party of his choice, a religion of his choice and a union of his choice.

    “I have never seen where it is said that for belonging to PDP, you cannot belong to APC. Even in secret societies, you can leave and join another organisation.

    “It is only in the labour movement that somebody is telling you that the moment you join centre A, you cannot leave until you die.

    “Whenever the Trade Union Act is in conflict with the constitution, the constitution takes precedence. So, you cannot quote the Trade Union Act when the constitution has spoken,” he said.

    He added that for the former minister to have violated the constitution was wrong and unacceptable.

    ”We have been playing this down and that is why I spoke about freedom. The trade union act is under the constitution,” Ajaero said.

    He also said the only letter received from the ministry since the commencement of the application process was the acknowledgement copy of the application form.

    “Before you head to court, you must have evidence that you have been rejected.

    “I have it on good authority that it took Trade Union Congress (TUC) about 27 years to be registered and the law was still clear that the moment you fulfill these things, you exist. “

  • ULC urges Senate to reject request for $2.78b loan

    The United Labour Congress (ULC) has urged the Senate to reject the Federal Government’s request to borrow $2.78 billion and $87 million to refinance existing foreign debts.

    The labour body said the loan request was unacceptable to it, and did not make economic sense at this time.

    ULC in a statement by its President, Joe Ajaero, said this year’s budget was predicated on a crude oil benchmark of about $55, but the international price of oil is above $80 per barrel.

    “We are worried that the Federal Government is in such a hurry to plunge the nation back into debt trap, which our nation worked assiduously under the leadership of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to escape.

    “We remember that we had to pay over a whooping U$12 billion in one fell swoop to enable us exit the stranglehold of the debt regime. That huge fund would have helped this nation expand its infrastructural base, but debt repayment took them all.

    “ULC is deeply worried that our debt profile is increasing and burgeoning at an alarming proportion especially wt hen it is remembered that in just three years our debt profile has grown to nearly U$30 billion and is still increasing just like the amount being requested for approval by the Federal Government.”

    Ajaero said labour was worried that this scenario was already beginning to play out, as the nation was borrowing U$87million to refinance its debt, meaning that it could not internally generate requisite income to pay interests on its foreign loan portfolio.

    “Our leaders seem focused on eating down the resources that would be available for the future generation. We must as a nation remember that the present generation does not actually own Nigeria, but that we borrowed it from the future generation,” the union said.

  • Women Day: Pass Equal Opportunities bill, says Labour group

    Women Day: Pass Equal Opportunities bill, says Labour group

    The United Labour Congress (ULC) has urged the National Assembly to revisit the Gender Equal Opportunities (GEO) bill that was dumped.
    Its president Comrade Joe Ajaero, while speaking at an event to mark this year’s International Women Day yesterday, said all acts of discrimination against women must end.

    ULC wants all forms of child marriages to be outlawed and criminalised, adding that maternal mortality and violence against women must be tackled decisively.

    “Laws must, therefore, be made that not only protect women and outlaw discrimination based on gender but also penalises it. All laws that encourage child brides must be abrogated and the act actively criminalised,” Ajaero said.
    According to him, behaviours or policies that subtly deny women unfettered participation in national life were not only unpatriotic but must be held in contempt by all men of conscience.

    “That is why we view the action of the National Assembly that hurriedly threw away the Gender Equal Opportunities(GEO) bill seeking the empowerment and protection of women last year with ignominy as not only unpatriotic but a disdain to our quest to shake off the shackles of underdevelopment keeping us marooned in the cesspit of poverty and deprivation. The GEO Bill must be resurrected and fast tracked through the legislative processes to become law,” Ajaero said.

    ULC said views the triumph of women as not just the triumph of truth and common sense, but the triumph of humanity.
    “Our civic responsibility as a people and as a movement is to seek ways to throw away the system that allows the continued exclusion of any segment of the society especially the women. Women must lead this battle. They must demand that we make changes in the leadership recruitment processes in the trade union movement that allows men to hold 95 per cent of positions; we stand with them!

    “They must demand that the nation’s political spaces that allow men to occupy nearly 99 per cent of our governing spaces be made more inclusive and we stand with them! They must demand that discrimination based on gender in the workplaces must be stopped and we stand with them! They must demand an end to sexual violence, harassment and intimidation against women and we stand with them!

    “ULC believes that when we call for action to end gender discrimination, we are not only calling on women to act, we are also calling on Governments at all tiers, institutions and organisations including individuals to work from their respective corners of the national space to remove all vestiges of gender alienation.

    “Nigeria must work together to reduce all the negative indices affecting women. Unemployment amongst women at around 65 per cent is unacceptable. Sexual violence and abuse against the girl child that suggest that 25 per cent of women experiences this wickedness before the age of 18 is frightening.

    “Maternal mortality of about 145 deaths per day in Nigeria must be reduced. The killings in the Northern part of Nigeria where majority of its victims are women and children should be addressed. We must take responsibility for the negative actions against our women.”

  • ULC strike: NNPC cautions against panic buying

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has warned Nigerians against panic buying of petroleum products in compliance to the strike embarked upon by the United Labour Congress (ULC), stressing it has enough stock of products to meet national need.

    This was even as the strike purported to have commenced on Monday failed to make any impact on the masses and businesses as Nigerians went about their activities without any disruption.

    The ULC President, Joe Ajaero, however, said the strike in its first day recorded huge success in the target the centre set for it to achieve.

    The NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, in a statement in Abuja, said the corporation had sufficient Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol, in stock to serve the nation for 48 days.

    He said: “Similarly, there is in stock, sufficient quantity of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) as well as Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK) to serve the country.

    “Motorists are further enjoined to report any challenge they may have in the course of purchasing any of these products to the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).

    “The DPR is statutorily empowered to deal with such issues and has offices located in all parts of the country.”

    NNPC assured that the government was working to arrive at an amicable resolution of outstanding issues with the industry unions.

    The ULC had threatened the Federal Government that it would go on strike from Monday, if its 11-point demand was not met. It demanded, among others, that the Federal Government stopped stationing soldiers and policemen in its workplaces.

  • ULC suspends strike after parley with govt

    ULC suspends strike after parley with govt

    THE United Labour Congress of Nigeria (ULC) has suspended its strike for further deliberation with the Federal Government on issues at stake.

    Its President Joe Ajaero said this yesterday at a conciliatory meeting called at the instance of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, with other affiliates of the proposed association in Abuja.

    The Federal Government said it has not foreclosed ULC’s registration as a labour centre.

    Ngige, who spoke after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, said the process for registration is on.

    According to him, the conditionalities for registration of a labour centre was contained in the Trade Union Act, 2004, stressing that government would not deny the registration ,if the conditionalities are met.

    He said members of ULC work in critical sectors of the economy and should not be neglected in their agitations in order not to put the economy in a critical condition.

    The minister said he could not remember describing ULC as an illegal union.

    Ngige also earlier said the Federal Government had a closed door technical meeting with the leadership of ULC and some agreement was reached.

    “ULC is a proposed Labour federation and some unions have indicated their interest and had done the necessary preambles within the association as enshrined in labour regulations that they want to be part of.

    “There is a proposal and an application in this ministry and that application is being processed and there is no finality that it will not be a registered labour centre.

    “So, we are discussing with the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and all the other affiliates who said they are behind the proposed ULC.

    “And in the meeting we had with the leadership, agreements were reached in the interest of our social partners to do the needful in the disputes,” he said.

    He said issues such as the roads leading to the refineries and the tank farms were tackled and work was ongoing.

    The minister noted that the issues such as labour factory inspection, privatisation of the PHCN, security and others were also discussed.

    On the suspension of the strike, Ajaero said: “In the spirit of tripartism and negotiation, they appealed that we suspend the action for discussion to continue by next week.

    “The ULC has looked at it and the further appeal by the Department of State Security (DSS), which had taken cognisance of the security nature of the sectors that are involved.

    “Having looked at these two factors, the ULC will be getting across to the field for the suspension of the action to enable further deliberation of the issues raised and the remaining issues to commence next week.”

    NUPENG President Mr. Igwe Achese  lauded the Ministers of Labour and Employment, Works, Housing and Power, Petroleum and the DSS for their interventions.

    The union had earlier issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, which expired on September 8.

    The association further issued another seven-day strike notice that expired on September 15, with a threat to shut down the oil, power and aviation sectors.

  • ULC suspends nationwide strike

    ULC suspends nationwide strike

    The United Labour Congress (ULC) has suspended its nation-wide strike.

    Its president, Comrade Joe Ajaero, said the decision followed a meeting with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, towards meeting its demands.

    “The decision to suspend the strike was taken after the meeting with the Federal Government delegation led by the Honourable Minister of Labour in Abuja earlier this morning (Wednesday).

    “This is to allow current negotiation with the Federal Government continues in a peaceful atmosphere and avoid the impending hardship which a continuation may have meant for Nigerians.

    “All affiliates and state councils throughout Nigeria are requested to suspend action until further notice.

    “ULC wishes to thank all that have solidarised with us and those that have shown willingness to join us if the action had continued despite not being our affiliate.

    “All parties have agreed to recommence negotiation next week so that areas of disagreement will be addressed adequately,” ULC said in a statement.

    Trade unions under ULC last Wednesday issued a final seven- day strike notice to the federal government for failing to meet its demands.

    It warned Nigerians to stock up on food ahead of the nationwide industrial action which it said would “cripple” the economy if its demands are not met.

    ULC said it reached the decision to embark on strike after an emergency joint meeting of its National Action Committee.

     

  • FG to meet NUPENG on strike

    FG to meet NUPENG on strike

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, said on Monday the Federal Government would meet with the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Work, (NUPENG) on Tuesday to prevent the proposed strike by the union.

    Ngige disclosed this in a statement issued by the Deputy Director, Press, in the ministry, Mr. Samuel Olowookere, in Abuja.

    The minister said the crucial conciliatory meeting with with the president and the executive members of NUPENG would take place in his office at 11:30 a.m.

    NUPENG is currently an affiliate under the United Labour Congress (ULC).

    Other unions under the ULC are – the Petroleum Tankers Drivers (PTD), National Electricity Employees Union (NUEE), National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE), telecommunication unions and aviation unions.

    ULC wants the Ministry of Labour and Employment to set up a task force to carry out factory inspections and review the privatisation of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), among other demands.

     

  • Bank workers ‘won’t be part of ULC strike’

    •Financial institutions, others to use NIMC verification mode

    The National Union of Banks, Insurance and other Financial Institution Employees (NUBIFIE) has dissociated itself from the planned nationwide strike being called by the yet-to-be registered United Labour Congress (ULC).

    It asked its members to ignore the strike and go about their normal duty.

    The union’s president, Comrade Andulrasheed Lukman, said in a statement in Abuja that it has also decided to nullify its affiliation to the ULC and return to its former affiliation with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

    Lukman said the decision to affiliate with the ULC was taken against the union’s constitution.

    He said the association’s National Delegates Conference resolved and passed a resolution that it should return to the NLC.

    The statement reads in part: “The new leadership of the union states categorically that the union is not aware of and will not partake in any planned industrial action as called by the ULC. The process of engaging in industrial action is well-stipulated in the laws of the land and rules of engagement.

    “The union just concluded its delegates’ conference and a new leadership emerged. There are a number of issues that beg for attention in what has been happening in our industry, shutting the financial industry at this critical period of our economic life is not an option.

    “The congress in session did not discuss neither did it ratify any industrial action. Therefore, we dissociate NUBIFIE from the planned action of United Labour Congress.

    “The affiliation of NUBIFIE to ULC was done out of the context of the procedure and constitution of our great union and the congress in session resolved and passed a resolution for the return NUBIFIE to its original affiliation, NLC as contained in the union’s constitution.

    “Consequently, NUBIFIE dissociates itself from the called strike of ULC and hereby directs all our members in the banks and insurance companies to shun any other directive contrary to this.”

    But, the Director-General, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Mr. Aliyu Aziz, has said the commission had deployed NIMC Verification Service (NVS) to banks and other sectors, including schools and hospitals.

    Aziz, who made this known at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) forum in Abuja yesterday, said the financial institutions have successfully implemented and adopted the platform.

    According to him, the Application Programme Interface (API) for the NVS was deployed to institutions for effective use in accessing the data of Nigerians.

    The NIMC boss stressed that it was important to harmonise insurance companies’ databases with the National Identity Database (NIDB).

    Aziz said so far, the commission had registered 21.6 million Nigerians, while hoping to double this number before the end of 2017.

  • ULC not yet recongised, says Fed Govt

    ULC not yet recongised, says Fed Govt

    The United Labour Congress (ULC) is not a yet a registered and recognised Federation of the Trade Unions in the country, the Federal Government said yesterday.

    Minister of Labour and Employment Senator Chris Ngige stated this yesterday in Abuja in reaction to t strike notice issued by the ULC.

    The Union threatened to ‘cripple’ the economy in the oil, power and aviation sectors.

    According to Ngige, Mr Didi Adodo, Secretary General of ULC in a statement gave false impression that this Association is a Government recognised Federation of Trade Unions.

    “Our immediate reaction is to remind the promoters of this Association that they are not yet a Federal Government recognised Federation of Trade Unions and hence cannot speak on behalf of any Trade union.

    “The Trade Union Act. CAP T14, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004, is explicitly clear on how a group of Trade Unions can coalesce to form a Federation of Trade Unions.

    “Section 35(1)(b) states inter alia “A Federation of Trade Unions may be registered by the Registrar if it is made up of 12 or more Trade Unions none of which shall have been a member of another registered Federation of the Trade Unions.

    “The promoters of ULC should fulfill this requirement to qualify to be registered.

    “To call out workers on essential services for a national strike without any major trade dispute with their direct employers will be tantamount to blatant violation of our extant labour laws and International standards.’’

  • Strike: FG says ULC not yet recongised Trade Union

    Strike: FG says ULC not yet recongised Trade Union

    The Federal Government said on Thursday that the United Labour Congress (ULC) was not a yet a registered and recognised Federation of the Trade Unions in the country.

    Sen. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment said this at a news briefing in Abuja.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the ULC had earlier issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, which expired on Sept. 8.

    The association further issued another seven-day strike notice that would expire on Sept. 15 with a threat to shut down the oil, power and the aviation sectors.

    The demand includes that the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment should set up a task force immediately to carry out factory inspection; that Government should review the privatisation of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

    Others are that the Army and Police should withdraw their men in different work places where they are currently stationed as they intimidate and harass workers in such establishment.

    While also that the ULC demands the immediate release of its “Registration Certificate”.

    According to Ngige, Mr Didi Adodo, Secretary General of ULC in a statement gave false impression that this Association is a Government recognised Federation of Trade Unions.

    “Our immediate reaction is to remind the promoters of this Association that they are not yet a Federal Government recognised Federation of Trade Unions and hence cannot speak on behalf of any Trade union.

    “The Trade Union Act. CAP T14, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004, is explicitly clear on how a group of Trade Unions can coalesce to form a Federation of Trade Unions.

    “Section 35(1)(b) states inter alia “A Federation of Trade Unions may be registered by the Registrar if it is made up of 12 or more Trade Unions none of which shall have been a member of another registered Federation of the Trade Unions.

    “The promoters of ULC should fulfill this requirement to qualify to be registered.

    “To call out workers on essential services for a national strike without any major trade dispute with their direct employers will be tantamount to blatant violation of our extant labour laws and International standards.’’

    He said that Nigerians known that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) was the Oldest Federation of the Trade Unions in Nigeria.

    He said NLC has been factionalised since after her elections in 2015 and the Ministry of Labour and Employment has been making efforts to resolve the controversies that arose from the disputed elections.

    He added that this to government is democracy in the practice of Trade Unionism in Nigeria, saying that a group of Trade Unions are free to ask for registration as a federation if they are dissatisfied with their present federation.

    Ngige, however, said they must satisfy the conditions of having 12 new Trade Unions that were not previously affiliate of any of the existing federations; In this case, the Nigeria Labour Congrees(NLC) and Trade Union Congress(TUC).

    “For the avoidance of doubt, the Government will not fold her hands and allow any group of persons take the law into their hands.

    “That is  by brazenly threatening to commit Economic Sabotage by shutting down essential services in the Oil and Gas, Power, and Aviation Sectors as threatened by the promoters of ULC.

    “Members of the Trade Unions who are sympathetic to the ULC mentioned are advised to go about their duties in the interest of a peaceful industrial relations environment and for the good of our national economy,” Ngige said.

    The minister assured all Nigerians that government would ensure security in all work places.