The United Labour Congress of Nigeria (ULC) has vowed to begin its planned nationwide strike on Monday.
It also accused the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, of applying double-standards in dealing with labour union matters.
Recall that Ngige had described the ULC as an illegal group that only planned to engage in economic sabotage through industrial action.
In his reaction, ULC President, Joe Ajaero, at the opening ceremony of the 7th Quadrennial National Delegates Conference of the National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE) an affiliate of ULC, said: “the Labour Minister was being economical with words because he knows the truth. Just yesterday, this struggle became heightened.
“On the basis of our final decision to embark on a nationwide strike, Minister of Labour was quoted as calling us names. It was alleged that he called us illegal.
“Fellow comrades! Was that not very unfortunate of a sitting Minister holding such a dignified public office? If ULC is illegal, does that not make APC, PDP and others illegal, as all have also been founded on the dictates of Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution?
“Nigerians should ask the Minister the section of the trade Union Act that registered the National Association of Resident Doctors which he negotiates with all the time.
“Anyway, ULC does not have any intentions of joining issues seriously with the honourable Minister or any other persons but the only thing we can tell them is that he should wait till when the strike commences on Monday for action speaks louder than words.”
