From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to shut down Imo State as the Governor, Mr Hope Uzodinma, has kept mum over its letter seeking audience to resolve the industrial disputes it has with the Congress.
The NLC and Imo State Government have been at loggerheads over alleged abuse and violation of workers’ rights as regards non-payment of outstanding 20-month salary arrears owed workers, the declaration of 11,000 workers in the state as ghost workers, illegal diversion of union’s dues in the state, among others.
To address these outstanding issues, the Imo State Council of the NLC, and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) earlier requested from the Imo State Government a definite date for the conclusive resolution of the industrial dispute in the State.
The NLC added that the industrial action in Imo State was suspended due to interventions by well-meaning Nigerians and the Congress’ patriotic disposition not to jeopardize the rights of Ndi Imo to exercise their civic duties during the March 18, 2023, House of Assembly election.
“Our expectation is that the Imo State Government would reciprocate our goodwill by scheduling and communicating a date for the conclusion of discussion towards the resolution of the industrial dispute in Imo State.
“Well, this is two weeks since the State House of Assembly election. We are yet to hear from the Imo State Government of a date to conclude bilateral discussion which had already considered all the issues of dispute and extracted commitments from the Imo State Government pending the formal signing of a fresh collective bargaining Arising from the decision of a Joint National Executive Council meeting of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, we demand that Your Excellency should communicate to the leadership of the two national labour centres a definite date for the conclusion of the bilateral industrial discussion and the signing of a collective bargaining agreement with the Imo State Government”, the NLC said.
“We wish to convey the resolution of the NEC of the NLC and TUC that failure to expeditiously schedule and communicate the date for the conclusion of the industrial discussion and signing of an agreement would force Organized Labour in Nigeria to re-activate the suspended industrial action in Imo State without any further notice”, the NLC said.