A new central labour body under the leadership of Comrade Joe Ajaero has been unveiled in Nigeria.
Identified as United Labour Congress (ULC), the new group on Saturday in Lagos pledged to provide purposeful leadership.
In a communiqué issued at the end of its deliberations in Lagos, the group pledged to reposition the trade union movement “as a progressive partner to all structures involved in the pursuit of national development.
The group also appointed the following as National officers:
Comrade Joe Ajaero – President;
Comrade Achese Igwe – Deputy President;
Comrade Ocheme Abbah –Treasurer;
Comrade K. Kadiri – National Vice President;
Comrade R.B Okoro – National Auditor 111;
Comrade Otori – National Auditor;
Comrade Danjuma Musa – National Financial Secretary;
Comrade Kelly Ogbaloi – National Vice President;
Comrade Kabir Gusau – National Vice President;
Comrade Kelechi Otuh – National Trustee;
Dr. Theophilus Ndubuaku – National Trustee and
Comrade Onyeka Chris – Ag. General Secretary
The Assembly-in-session resolved to:
work concertedly to creatively engage the present angst and suffering that has become pervasive in the Country and to restore hope once again amongst the citizenry in our dear nation Nigeria thus assisting governance to become more effective and responsive
that the existing trade union federations may no longer offer adequate and cohesive platforms to actualise our vision and original mandate as trade unions within the ambits of these national and global realities
to therefore form a new federation of trade unions and to seek its registration under the relevant statutes in Nigeria
to name this new federation; THE UNITED LABOUR CONGRESS OF NIGERIA (ULC)
to amongst others work under this platform in collaboration with other like-minded organisations to pursue the revival of trade unionism in our nation and the globe.
to reposition the trade union movement as a progressive partner to all structures involved in the pursuit of national development.
to restore the soul of the movement and reconnect with the desires and expectations of Nigerian workers, peoples and Nigeria.
that though unity amongst personalities is strongly advocated, to place greater emphasis on the unity of ideology -the philosophical basis upon which the trade union movement is built if we still remember that it is first a consciousness – a feeling and an objective connection across the entire spectrum of workers building an un-breaking chain of global citizens whose faith and destinies lay in the vicissitudes of the workplace.
to focus therefore to create a movement that is purely anchored on our original philosophies creating a coherent and vibrant platform upon which to engage our present realities and enthrone a trade union movement prepared to endure into the future.
to offer a responsible, responsive and robust partnership between Nigerian workers and its social partners with an eye directed at innovative frameworks that would drive harmonious relations in our workplaces founded on the principle of equity, fairness, justice and progress
to therefore collectively seek the drastic reduction and eventual eradication of lawlessness and impunity in our various workplaces especially those bothering on rights abuses and violations of workers by employers beginning with Arik Air, Private Telecommunication operators, the Banks and the Oil and Gas Industry.
to work in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Labour to pursue the revitalisation of the Nigeria Labour Advisory Council – a tripartite body with a view to reviewing our Labour Laws and enacting new ones to remove all factors that allow the prevalence of various forms of precarious job in Nigeria such as Casual and Contract work etc and new dangerous forms of employment contracts such as Offshoring which has led to mass retrenchment in the Telecom industry and a haemorrhaging of employment and national resources
”Finally, the emergence of the United Labour Congress of Nigeria (ULC) rather than weaken the labour movement, proposes the strengthening of the nation’s labour movement generating a new vigour that would re-awaken all the necessary elements that are needed to make Nigerian workers strong, present Labour as a creative partner that has strategic benefits for its publics especially the employers and the Government.
