Judex Okoro, Calabar
Labour crisis is brewing among the organised unions of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Negotiating Council over a planned industrial action declared by NLC leadership in Cross River State.
The NLC had, on June 1, 2020, after its emergency meeting, declared a trade dispute with Cross River government over non-implementation of agreements by the latter and vowed to call out workers on June 15, to press home its demands.
NLC Chairman, Ben Ukpepi, had, among others, accused the government of non-implenmentation of promotions, non-remittance of deducted check off dues of some workers to the Association of Senior Civil Servants, and inability to resolve the National Union of Road Transport Workers park contract in the metropolis
Ukpebi demanded immediate restoration of workers whose names were removed from payroll in September 2019, giving the government a 14-day ultimatum or workers would down tools indefinitely.
But, TUC and the Public Service Negotiating Council have dissociated themselves from the strike, describing it as insensitive amid the outbreak of coronavirus.
The two labour organisations, in separate letters to Governor Ben Ayade, said there were no cogent reasons for workers to embark on strike at this time as issues raised by the organised labour have either been addressed or on the verge of being addressed by the Ayade administration.
While the TUC’s letter was signed by Daniel Effiong and Ken Bassey, vice chairman and secretary respectively, the Public Service Negotiating Council was signed by Julius Nkoji, chairman and Clarkson Otu, secretary.