United NLC, we are ready now more than ever before to confront and overcome the myriad of challenges facing Nigerian workers -Wabba

By allcitynews.ng

Thursday 16 July 2020 indeed has come and gone. But the milestone achievement recorded that day would take very long time to be forgotten in labour industry.

July 16 was achievement may no longer be fresh news most people. However, the fresh news is, that day witnessed in a great mark in the histories of the Nigerian labour movement.

That day was when the reconciliation efforts yielded results after five years of separation.  Ironically the head-on collision which started from coming into office of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba in 2015 also came to an end in his tenure also.

That collision which started from misunderstanding that arose from the 2015 National Delegates Conference of Congress was consummated with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the United Labour Congress (NLC). The spirit and letters of the MoU interred the differences that had threatened the solidarity in Nigeria’s labour family.

Truly, the reconciliation, according to Comrade Wabba was a product of the commitment, altruism, and fidelity to the ideals of the working-class movement excellently demonstrated by the leaders of our affiliate unions.

“I particularly commend the Deputy President of Congress, Comrade Joe Ajaero and other leaders of the erstwhile United Labour Congress for the stamina and sacrifice to see the reconciliation process come to a fruitful end.

“Clearly, the fruits of peace, camadarie and solidarity are better than the thorn and thistles of crisis and confusion. Indeed, Nigerian workers are better off for it. I am sure that we all have picked useful lessons throughout this process. We have also made institutional adjustments in our in our heart during the period of our misunderstanding, the leadership of our trade unions from both sides of the divide continued to prioritize workers issues and strove to protect workers interests.

“This shows where our loyalty lies regardless of our differences – the interest of Nigerian workers. It is with a sense of nostalgia that I recall the expanded central working committee meeting of all registered trade unions in Nigeria on November 2, 2018 at the Airport Hotel, Ikeja Lagos State. The Congress was called in order to mobilize our forces to resist attempts by government to divide the voice of labour and undermine our collective struggle for decent wages for our workers through the mechanism of a new national minimum wage.”

Since that day, stressed Wabba, “I was completely re-assured that our reconciliation into one big labour family was only a matter of ‘when’ not ‘if’. The events of the past few weeks have proved us right. The truth is that the bond of brotherhood and fraternity that join us are far stronger than the currents that seek to sweep us apart.

Once again, through our resolve to strike together, we have disappointed the naysayers. Thursday, July 16, 2020 would remain epochal in the annals of the Nigerian labour movement. The reconciliation efforts that had been on since the misunderstanding arising from the 2015 National Delegates Conference of Congress was consummated with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the United Labour Congress. The spirit and letters of the MoU interred the differences that had threatened the solidarity in Nigeria’s labour family. organizational frameworks to ensure that we never again give our class enemies any opportunity to make any snide remarks at us.

I am certain that the leadership and membership of our great movement have emerged out of this tunnel with renewed commitment to the ideals that distinguish the labour movement. It is remarkable that even in the dark furnace that severely tested our commitment and selfless disposition to our movement’s age long tradition of “Nigerian workers first”, we have managed to come out as gold, better and brighter.

This is the daybreak story that overshadows the fleeting pains of the mosquito bites of our misunderstanding in the night. Solidarity Forever! We commend the leadership of our affiliate unions, state councils and our statutory organs up to the National Delegates Conference whose mandate and support provided the ladder to this milestone reconciliation. We thank our rank and file and the social partners for their counsel, altruism and support during the dark hour. Fellow workers, in every cloud, there is always a silver lining.

The Nigeria Labour Congress has emerged out of this crisis stronger. We have gained more affiliate unions, we have gained experience, and we have built more bridges. Going forward from this platform of unity, we are ready now more than ever before to confront and overcome the myriad of challenges facing Nigerian workers – economic, social, and political. We are now ready to confront squarely every infraction against the rights of Nigerian workers. Our commitment to engage the socio-economic and even political question of today has been revitalized.

Our voice will be louder and stronger as we demand for living wages for workers and pension for our retirees, occupational health and safety particularly amidst the Covid-19 challenge, improved living conditions for workers and Nigerians especially in the face of galloping inflation, hike in user access charges, increase in energy costs, resurgence of insecurity and the dilapidation of public infrastructure in Nigeria.

From the President’s Desk Comrade Ayuba Wabba, mni