NLC to write Ngige, criticizes FG for registering CONUA

Ibekimi Oriamaja Reports

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has chastised the Federal Government for recognizing the Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA) and the Nigerian Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) as trade unions.

The country’s umbrella workers’ union claimed that the registration of CONUA in particular violated labor laws.

This was stated by NLC President Ayuba Wabba at yesterday’s “A Roundtable On Decent Work Situation in Nigeria” in Abuja.

The Federal Government issued letters of recognition to CONUA and NAMDA on Tuesday through its Ministry of Labour and Employment.

The government stated in the letters that the two unions could coexist in the university system with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

Wabba warned reporters that the registration of the two unions would cause chaos and confusion in the university system.

“As someone who has been in industrial relations for a very long time and as a governing body member of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) who also sits on the Committee of Freedom of Information, I can confirm that the registration of the two other unions is a violation of our Labour Act, particularly Section 5, Sub-section (4), which clearly provides that where already an existing union represents the interests of the union that is about to be registered, the registration of the union that is about to be registered is a violation of

“That has been tested at the Supreme Court, and the Supreme Court affirmed that the principle of Freedom of Association also entails that Section 40 is governed by Sections 41 and 46, and that where your rights end, someone else’s rights begin.”

“The provisions of the Labour Act are consistent with the guiding principles of the Freedom of Information Act.” When you run it (the registration) through the mirror of our Labour Act, it clearly fails.

“The Labour Act also clearly states that before registering a union, it will be published in the National Gazette and objections will be accepted for three months.” That has not occurred. It is a violation of the law if you do not do so.”

Wabba stated that the NLC would officially write to Labour and Employment Minister Chris Ngige to draw his attention to the violations of labor laws.

The NLC President urged the Federal Government to follow the Labour Act’s provision regarding be formation of a new union.

“We are writing to the minister to draw his attention (to the Labour Law) because part of the issue is to respect our laws, regardless of what the issues are, regardless of personal interests,” he said.

“The law should take precedence over everyone’s interests, and we must be able to respect the law.” That is what the law says, and it has been tested in court – in 2008, by the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. Section 41 regulates the provision of Section 40, according to five Supreme Court justices. As a result, the regulation is the Labour Act. As a result, the provisions of the Labour Act must be followed.

“I can tell you about two provisions: the Labour Act regarding the registration of a new union, because the cadre that the new unions will represent is already unionized by ASUU.” The law clearly states that the formation of a new union is not permitted.

“The registration of new unions is a recipe for chaos, a recipe for confusion, and the laws have intended to avoid this.” That is the legal position, and that is all we can say.”

Femi Aborishade, the guest speaker, advocated for political office holders to be paid the national minimum wage.