Workers slam labour unions for alleged partisanship
Workers slam labour unions for alleged partisanship
Some workers in Ekiti State are unhappy with labour leaders for allegedly abandoning their primary duties of agitating for their welfare and dabbling in politics.
They slammed the state chapters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC),the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) for joining drivers’ unions and hoodlums to stage protests and block roads last Friday in a bid to stop the All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers from coming to the state.
Acting under the aegis of Ekiti Enlightened Workers’ Forum, the aggrieved workers in a statement yesterday accused the labour leaders of pursuing personal gains.
They wondered if labour had become an appendage of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, saying the issue of workers’ welfare rather than taking sides with political gladiators should concern the unionists.
The workers urged the union leaders to steer clear of politics, especially the raging impeachment crisis and face their welfare, which they said has affected their morale.
According to them, “workers’ interest must not be traded on the altar of politics, labour leaders have turned trade unionism into a lucrative business venture when civil servants and other workers are wallowing in poverty”.
Condemning the labour union leaders’ participation in a pro-government protest under the guise of March for Peace, the aggrieved workers described their action “as labour’s shameful parade”.
They urged NLC, TUC and JNC leaders to agitate for the payment of September salaries, maintaining that the government has since received September allocation, hence payment should not be delayed.
Other demands of the aggrieved workers include payment of 2014 leave bonus, remittance of various deductions, such as cooperative, check-off dues and loans to banks made from workers’ July to September 2014 salaries.
The workers also called on the union leaders to “do something” on the 2013/2014 promotion exercise, payment of backlog of arrears of pensions and gratuities to retirees, allocation of funds to Housing/Vehicle Loan Boards.
They issued a statement. which reads: “It should be stressed that workers rely on ‘sharp-sharp’ loans and rather for the leadership of Labour to demand for improved welfare, the so-called labour leaders are conniving with the government to introduce another form of ‘sharp-sharp’ loans to workers.
“The burden resulting from interests on these loans is too hard for workers to bear! Government is a continuum, as soon as a government is sworn in, such government acquires assets and liabilities of the previous administration.
“The above matters are issues which the leadership of labour is expected to pursue but the so-called self-imposed/anointed leaders in NLC, TUC and JNC have vowed not to pursue because of their personal gains.
“At any rate, our present state of labour ineptitude may remain with us for a long time to come, unless the good workers of this state take some drastic steps to stem this unfortunate tide.”
