The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says the recent
recognition of two new academic unions by the federal government is designed to
“destroy” cordial relations.
Nigige had recently presented letters of recognition to two
new unions — Congress for Nigerian University Academics (CONUA) and the Nigeria
Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA).
The recognition of the two new unions took place amid the
strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Ayuba Wabba, national president of NLC, had demanded the
withdrawal of the recognition on the grounds that the registration of the
unions contravened the laws guiding trade unions.
Ngige had, however, appealed to NLC to allow the new unions
to exist, insisting that the Trade Dispute Act 2004 gives him the sole power to
recognise new trade unions, either by registering a new union or regrouping
existing ones.
The minister also said the last segment of section 3(2) of
the Trade Union Act does not refer to the regrouping of existing trade unions,
hence, the differentiation within the section between registering a new trade
union and regrouping existing ones.
Responding to Ngige’s plea, NLC, in a letter by Wabba, said
the minister’s claim that section 3(2) does not refer to regrouping is “fatally
flawed”.
Wabba said a previous statement by Ngige that the new unions
applied for registration in 2018, citing irreconcilable differences, is a clear
contradiction of the minister’s claim of regrouping as justification for
awarding certificates to them.
“The question on the mind of every rational Nigerian is what
is your motive for registering CONUA and MAMDA? Is it re-grouping of trade
unions or is it a response to the application made by CONUA and MAMDA since
2018 to be registered unions?” the letter reads.
Wabba added that article 3(2) of the International Labour
Organisation (ILO) convention 87 on freedom of association and protection of
the right to organise makes it clear that public authorities should not
interfere in the activities of trade unions.
“Unfortunately, you have accused us of interference when the
opposite is the reality,” the letter reads.
“Your biased attempt
to ‘re-group’ an existing trade union or actually individuals (something our
labour laws never contemplated) in utter disregard to tripartism which is a
core pillar of ILO is an attempt to interfere with, infiltrate and balkanize an
existing trade union — at best to score on vendetta and at worst to destroy
cordial industrial relations in Nigeria.
“We are also concerned that your ’patriotic‘ intervention to
rescue the so-called expelled and insufficiently represented academic staff in
our universities came after you publicly admitted your utmost frustration with
your inability to resolve the ASUU strike.
“Overall, Honourable Minister, we still want to believe that
you were not properly advised on this matter.
“As the Chief Labour Law Officer of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, we believe that you will take advantage of our presentation of the
true position of the law to redress this grave injustice done to our labour
jurisprudence by the ‘awarding’ of trade union certificates to CONUA and
NAMDA.”
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