•••THREATENS TO LOCKDOWN STATE AGAIN
The Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress have written the Imo State governor, Senator, Hope Uzodimma, on the lingering issue of the resolution of the industrial dispute in Imo State.
The Labour Centres also threatened to lockdown the State failure to schedule and communicate to them a new date for the conclusion of the Industrial discussion and signing of an agreement.
The Labour Centres warned that they might be forced to re-activate the suspended industrial action in Imo State without any Further notice.
The letter was written on March 31 2023, and addressed to the state governor and entitled “Re: Conclusion on Discussion for the Resolution of Industrial Dispute in Imo State.”
The two Labour centres are demanding to know the definite date for the conclusive resolution of the industrial dispute in Imo State.
The two centres recalled that the dispute 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.
The letter signed by Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, the General Secretary, NLC, and
Comrade Nuhu Toro, Secretary General, TUC, copied Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment, Inspector General of Police, Director-General, State Security Services, Controller of Labour Imo State, Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, and Director, State Security Services, Imo State Command, reads.
“We bring you fraternal greetings from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
Sequel to a letter dated 22nd March 2023 by the Imo State Council of the NLC, the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) write to demand from the Imo State Government a definite date for the conclusive resolution of the industrial dispute in Imo State.
“Your Excellency may recall that owing 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, the last industrial action in Imo State was suspended.
“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 agreement.
“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.
“We also 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.
“While we look forward to Your Excellency’s earliest consideration, please accept the renewed assurances of our warm regards.”
