TUC And NLC Split As Labour Is Cautioned By DSS About A Planned Protest

TUC declares that the union will not be taking part in the planned two-day nationwide protest against the country's problems, including rising living expenses, inflation, and insecurity, which was announced by the NLC.

The Nigeria Labour Congress announced a two-day nationwide protest, but the Trade Union Congress withdrew due to the country's high cost of living, inflation, insecurity, and hardship.

Tommy Etim, the vice-president of the TUC, stated on Wednesday that neither union made the decision to protest on February 27 and 28, as announced by the NLC.

According to a letter from the TUC's Secretary General, Dr. Nuhu Toro, dated February 19, 2024, the NLC made the decision about the planned protest on its own.

The letter to Mr. Joe Ajaero, the President of the NLC, was confirmed by Etim during an interview with one of our correspondents. He further stated, “By the virtue of the letter, there is no way we can join the protest.”

This is taking place in the midst of a warning from organized Labor's Department of State Services that the planned mass action could be manipulated.

The NLC issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government on February 16, and on February 22 (today), it announced that it would launch a two-day protest.

The government was allegedly failing to carry out the agreements made on October 2, which included eliminating the fuel subsidy and other economic reforms that led to increased transportation expenses, inflation, and overall hardship. This was the reason for the warning.

Read: NLC And TUC Calls For National Strike

The rising cost of living and food inflation had prompted protests across the nation, with women and youth taking to the streets.

The government was given a two-week ultimatum by the NLC and TUC on February 8, alleging that it had broken its pledge to lessen the impact of the reforms, increase wages, and improve access to public utilities.

NLC President Joe Ajaero briefed reporters in Abuja following an emergency meeting of the National Executive Council on issues pertaining to national security and the state of the economy. He also charged that the Federal Government was not carrying out the agreement that was reached in October.

State chapters of the congress pledged to participate in the nationwide demonstration on Monday, coinciding with the mobilization of NLC affiliates for the protest, according to Benson Upah, the organization's head of information.

MON DIARIES had reported on Tuesday that the National Union of Public Service Reportorial, Secretarial, Data Processors, and Allied Workers Union, one of the NLC affiliates, had instructed its members to participate in the NLC-planned protest in a letter dated February 18, 2024, which was written by its Secretary General, Duro Adebisi. And they are not turning back after DSS threat.

However, in a surprising development, the TUC, another Labour organization, criticized the NLC's method for setting the protest dates in a letter sent by its secretary general, Toro.

Vice-President Etim stated, “We cannot join the protest because the decision was not taken collectively, reiterating the TUC's most recent stance. It is evident that we are unable to participate in the protest due to the letter.”

Toro recalled that the NLC and TUC decided together to give the government a two-week ultimatum in the letter that this newspaper was able to obtain on Wednesday.

He pointed out that the proper course of action following the warning's expiration on Thursday, or today, was for the leaders of the two unions to assess the circumstances and decide on a course of action before calling meetings of their respective national executive councils.

TUC addresses Ajaero

It read, “We are writing to address a matter of mutual concern and our disappointment regarding the recent unilateral issuance of two days' national protest with specified dates.

“You will recall that both centres issued a joint statement with a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government. This ultimatum will expire on Thursday, February 22nd, and the right thing to do was for both leaders to review the situation and agree on the way forward prior to convening our respective NEC meetings.

“Our respective NEC is made up of highly intelligent individuals who are desirous that we both work together always in our collective interest. Even if we didn't anticipate our NEC decision meetings, it is our responsibility as leaders to harmonise our positions before jointly going to the press.

“It was our understanding that decisions of such magnitude would be made collectively, ensuring that the interests and perspectives of all parties involved are duly considered.

“This is the way other leaders of both centres have worked together from the time of SECSCAN to when TUC was formally registered.”

The TUC also expressed dissatisfaction over the fact that Ajaero was making a unilateral decision for the third time and that previous attempts to address the anomaly had failed.

“It is important to stress that this is the third time such a unilateral declaration has happened under your leadership; we are therefore constrained to formally put this on record as various discussions, communications, and interventions have failed. A first and second time could pass as human error, but a third time would, in our opinion, translate to an intentional act to undermine us.

“Again, recall that we requested that both congresses jointly develop an MOU (memorandum of understanding) that will clearly guide and define our collaboration on issues of mutual interest to avoid situations like this, which have not seen the light of day,” the TUC stated.

Toro emphasized that the TUC took issue with the NLC making a decision on a matter that the two unions had agreed to work on, even though the TUC stated that it was not against the protest declaration.

The letter stated: “Comrade President, please take note that while we are not opposed to your resolution being issued, we have serious concerns about the unilateral declaration for a process that we both proposed and agreed upon. Our members feel the pain just as much, even in the event of a week-long nationwide strike.

“Because our members are equally concerned about the rising cost of living and not particularly the ultimatum, why can't we see through the ultimatum that expires within the same period before jointly addressing other issues of mutual concern or, at worst, consolidating them?

"At best, when the NLC conveys its NEC meeting on a subject of mutual concern, courtesy demands that we ought to have been informed so we can synergize on the way forward and not jump the gun.

“We cannot be seen to undermine the process of synergy and collaboration between both centres that predates the current leadership of both congresses.

“For the avoidance of doubt, we fully understand that NLC is an independent labour centre that has the right to make independent decisions. It is pertinent that when such decisions are taken unilaterally, there is a need to go ahead and implement them unilaterally.”

The union further said, “We wish to postulate that both centres have demonstrated severally that we both have the capacity to go solo, but my comrade President, you will agree with the slogan we couched for this unity that “we are always stronger together,” and that shouldn't be taken for granted.

“We want you to always remember that we have teeming members that we lead and are answerable to, and when such an abnormality happens, the leadership has the right to defend the sanctity of its congress.

“Recall that this same issue of unilateral decision was what made us stay away from the two-day warning strike that you staged in September last year.

“The entire world noticed our collective strength when the governor of Imo State overstepped his bounds, and we rose to the occasion.

“That is the kind of synergy and collaboration that we yearn for, and we strongly believe the Nigerian working people and the downtrodden are looking forward to our collaborative efforts to work together.

“As you are aware of our previous discussions that cumulated into a late- night meeting at the NUEE Lodge, Utako last year after the unilateral decision of a two-day warning strike and several other interventions that emphasised the importance collaboration, of mutual and respect, effective communication in matters affecting workers and the masses.

“Congress was greatly taken aback and dismayed to learn that you addressed the press and announced the dates for the nationwide protest without consulting us. Making arrangements for the press is even an indication that you have an idea of what the outcome of the NEC meeting will be. This action undermines the spirit of solidarity and cooperation that we have worked hard to foster.

“Nonetheless, we wish to state that such unilateral actions are contrary to the principles of our shared understanding and collaboration. In order to uphold the integrity of our partnership and ensure that the voices of all workers are heard, it is imperative that decisions of this nature be made through open dialogue and consensus- building.

“We kindly urge you to reconsider your approach and to engage in meaningful consultation with all parties moving forward, as we will always do the same when the table turns. By doing so, we can reaffirm our commitment to working together for the betterment of workers' rights and welfare.”