NURTW leaders accuse NLC of insincerity, plan protest

NURTW leaders accuse NLC of insincerity, plan protest

The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has accused the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) of insincerity in its mediation into the internal crisis of the transport workers’ group.

It also hinted of plans by members and leaders of the union to occupy the premises of the NLC through a national protest.

It condemned the action of the leadership of the NLC for smuggling the internal crisis as one of the reasons for embarking on the recent nationwide strike.

The NLC had listed the transport workers’ crisis as one of the conditions for restoring industrial peace.

But the NURTW Acting General Secretary, Comrade Kayode Agbeyangi, in a rejoinder to the NLC’s position, said, “It is within public knowledge that the initial demand of the NLC and the Trade Union Congress was based on the unresolved issues surrounding the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government.

“The internal matter of NURTW was smuggled into the documents for mischievous reason.”

The NURTW scribe lamented that the NLC in its attempt to support an individual against the majority threw caution to the wind.

“It is a shame and against the NLC’s time tested tradition of mediation and reconciliation of conflicts involving affiliate unions to take sides with an individual against the majority and unfortunately, the government never saw the plot but now bears the brunt of NLC blackmail.”

He expressed surprise at the turn of events, saying it was the NLC that dragged the matter to the Ministry of Labour in the first instance.

“It was the NLC that took the matter to the Minister of Labour and Employment for mediation and the minister in his wisdom and within his powers has upheld the provisions of th constitution of the NURTW and resolution of the majority of members as represented by the branches and state councils at mediation meeting held in the minister’ s office.

“So why is the NLC now turning round to castigate the ministry for performing its statutory duties.”

He vowed that members and leaders of the union were making plans “to occupy the premises of the NLC through national protest”.