By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
The United Labour Congress of Nigeria (ULC), has on Saturday passed a vote of no confidence on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) saying that its leadership has failed Nigerian workers.
ULC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero made this known during the Zonal Council Meeting of the union in Kaduna, lamenting over NLC’s failure to play its affiliated retirees their pension after many years of labour.
According to him, “NLC has failed Nigerian workers. You will see the impact of the failure. The pains, the agony on Nigerian worker . Comrades, there is no much to say over this than to overemphasize that NLC has failed .
“In some of the states up till today, Nigerian workers have not received their salaries, pensioners whom are affiliate of NLC are yet to receive their pensions.
“This are workers who have put in their best, and all their sacrifice to get Nigeria where it is today, and they are retired and cannot be paid, and NLC is sitting down there say they are NLC.
He said “the only hope for the Nigerian workers today is the United Labour Congress.”
He went on: “It is sad to hear the story of corruption and fraud activities in NSITF, where labour leader from the NLC are members and as board members, and you here that in one day, N5 billion of workers hard earn contribution is been withdrawn, un accounted for.
“This are the issue we talk about , that Nigerian workers should rise up and begin to ask question of their future, because we need a labour union like ULC to move this country and the labour movement forward.
Meanwhile, the National secratary of the union, Comrade Didi Adodo at the council meeting also corroborated his president on NLC’s failure to protect the interest of Nigerian workers.
Adodo said some ” Wrong people have found themselves in the leadership of the labour movement, and that is what we want to change with the formation of the United Labour Congress.”
Asked as whether the ULC will pass a vote of no confidence on NLC over its bad leadership he said ” it was a vote of no confidence that led to the formation of United Labour Congress.”
Meanwhile, speaking to journalists shortly after the meeting , the president , represented by his deputy, comrade Igwe Achese, debunked the wide spread notion that the ULC is not recognized, adding that they will remain unshakable despite the heap of intimidation and petitions against them by the Trade Union Cooperation (TUC) and the NLC.
He said “Nothing can stop ULC from been recognized. Have said this again that ULC have come to stay , because where ever we are today, Nigerians are expecting us to continue to work. That’s why we had this meeting to sensitize our state chairmen to go out and begin to work to restore that lost hope of Nigerian workers.”
“The purpose of the meeting was to show people that ULC is existing,” he added.
Comrade Ajaere however assured Nigerian workers of increase in their salary, as the union will ably represent them at the ongoing deliberation on minimum wage before the Federal Government
“We hope that ULC will collaborate will government to bring hope and smile on all Nigerian workers face,” he said.