The internal crisis rocking the
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) deepened with an affiliate of the
body lodging a petition against the leadership. It accused it of “illegal and
fraudulent insertions into the constitution” of the central labour organisation.
The Non-Academic Staff Union of
Educational and Associated Institutions, (NASU), in a petition to the Registrar
of Trade Unions dated June 6, 2014, drew the attention of the Registrar, the
Minister of Labour , other affiliate unions and state councils to the alleged
insertions.
It stated: “Article 19 under the
heading: General Secretary, a new sub section 3(1) was inserted thus, “the
General Secretary shall (i) be appointed by the NEC and shall be the
administrative head of the National Secretariat.
A Cross section of Workers Match
Pasts, during the 2013 Workers Day Commemoration by The Lagos state Council of
Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, Theme: 100 Year of
Nationhood, The Challenges of National Development, held at Onikan Stadium,
Lagos. Photo: Bunmi Azeez
“Article 35, under the heading:
Payment of Dues “ a new subsection (3) was inserted thus: “To prevent bulk
payment of affiliation dues towards the Delegates Conference in order to obtain
more delegates. Any payment by a union in excess of its ordinary and normal
monthly dues of the preceding years from the last conference, shall not apply
for the purpose of determining delegates”.
It added: “This is something which,
if done by government or any other organization, we in the labour movement will
protest against and call such a fraudulent act”.
NASU in its petition signed by its
general secretary, Mr. Peters Adeyemi said: “The insertions were not the
product of the constitutional amendments discussed and approved at the 10th
Delegates Conference of the NLC held on 1-3rd March, 2011.” It advised the
registrar “not to oblige the NLC leadership with the registration of the
congress constitution with the two subsections that have been inserted contrary
to the general wishes of delegates”.
Several attempts to speak with the
acting general secretary, Comrade Chris Uyot on phone, yesterday, were
unsuccessful as he did not respond.
NASU, which had earlier sued the NLC
for N100 million added “ we hereby wish to place it on record that
the insertion of these two new and strange subsections by the leadership of the
Congress is neither accidental nor a mistake. Clearly, they are a
continuation of the plot by a few elements to destroy the very foundation and
engine room of the trade union movement in the country”.
The Constitution is
crucial to the next delegates conference of the NLC due to hold in February
2015 and its application could determine who gets what post.
NASU insisted that the
amendments approved at the last delegates conference which was printed and
circulated to all delegates had the heading “ General Secretary “ with the
following amendments
“ (vi) to read : “ In consultation
with the President issue out notices of meetings of organs of the Congress”.
(vii) Ensure proper keeping of record of activities of Congress and (v) Delete
the phrase “ Approved and signed by him/her in the required formal and replace
same with “ scrutinized by him/her for subsequent approval by the President”.
The union stated that since the
1977/78 re-organisation of industrial unionism, general secretaries are full
time officers who double as “ chief executive officers of these unions”.
It warned “ We are prepared to take
the necessary steps against this dubious attempt to doctor the constitution of
Congress by the NLC leadership”.
- See more at:
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/06/nlc-crisis-deepens-nasu-raises-alarm-constitution-amendment/#sthash.FmNqARty.dpuf
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