ULC calls for intervention of Labour Minister over its registration

The United Labour Congress (ULC) has called on the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Senator Chris Ngige, to ensure effective supervision of the Registrar of Trade Union to expedite action in processing its application for registration as a Labour Centre in the country.

The ULC is a newly launched federation of trade unions being floated by a breakaway faction of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and few unions from the Trade Union Congress (TUC). The ULC has approached the Ministry of Labour for its registration as the third Labour Centre in the country.

In a communique issued at the end of its inaugural Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting held in Lagos at the weekend, the congress said its registration will create more vibrant and productive industrial relations space in Nigeria.

“We call on the Federal Ministry of Labour who supervises the Registrar of Trade Unions to expedite action in processing our application for registration as number 002 to create a more vibrant and productive Industrial Relations space in Nigeria,” the communique, signed by the ULC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, said.

Ajaero, however, stated that the Ministry “should not allow itself to be intimidated or harassed into perverting due process by any group whose intentions are classically anti-workers, anti-unions, anti-good industrial relations and clearly undemocratic.”

He urged the NLC and the TUC to be guided by the traditions of labour movement, conventions, philosophies and Laws to avoid making the whole movement an object of ridicule.

“We believe that we should think more of how to forge a better front to engage the forces that are threatening Nigerian workers and masses rather than seeking ways to pull down the ULC which has come to stay,” he said.

Ajaero added that “ULC reiterates its belief that it is hypocritical for the TUC which operated for nearly 27 years without licence to seek to deny ULC of the same benefits despite its guarantee by the relevant statutes governing the operations of Trade unions in the Country. We are surprised that when about 7 Unions pulled out of the TUC some years back and joined the NLC, it was de’ javu in NLC but now that the shoe is on the other leg, it is cries and childish whimpers.”

The ULC position was against the plot by the NLC and the TUC to stop its registration and the controversy the issue of its registration is being generated.

The NLC and TUC had jointly written a letter titled: “Need to avert anarchy in the industrial relations system in the country: Mushroom /shell trade unions,” and dated January 19, 2017, to the minister, citing the provisions of relevant laws and why the ULC should not be registered as presently constituted.

The NLC and TUC alleged in the letter to the Labour Minister that the ULC has collected forms for the registration of dozens of shell or mushroom trade unions without membership, while it was also carrying out trade union activities without registration which was clearly against the Trade Union Amendment Act 2005.