We'll resist planned break up of NLC 'Labour

THE organised labour has vowed to resist the attempt to break up the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the alleged planned registration of a third trade union centre by the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Labour and Productivity.The threat was issued by labour leaders from both the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), on Thursday, while speaking with journalists on the issue, despite the declaration by the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, debunking the plan and any such move on Tuesday.The minister had said there was no move to split the NLC with a planned registration of a parallel labour centre as alleged by the NLC, while he described the report as mere speculation.Reacting to the statement credited to the minister, deputy president of the NLC and general secretary, Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), Mr Promise Adewusi; president of Association of Senior Civil Servant of Nigeria (ASCSN), Mr Olakunle Olaitan and the former secretary of ASCSN in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Ayo Olorunfemi, said it was a move to cause disaffection in the labour movement.'Given the circumstances surrounding the purported move to register a third trade union centre, it is in bad faith and bad taste. It smacks of ministerial conspiracy to emasculate the labour movement by trying to cause disaffection amongst our ranks through poaching,' Adewusi said.The NLC deputy president, who said the move could snowball into crisis, said the move would be resisted, stressing that the organised labour would join forces to resist attempt to break their rank.Olaitan, in his reaction, said all labour leaders and the organised labour should come together to reject the move, saying that it would be bad for the unity of the labour movement in the country.Olorunfemi, one of those who fought for the registration of the TUC, said the reference made by the minister on the registration of TUC was wrong.Olorunfemi said while the TUC was recognised as a labour centre for trade unions in senior staff category, the same could not be said of the present situation.
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