The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria has issued a stern warning of impending disruptions to economic activities in Lagos State.
This declaration comes as part of its protest against the ban imposed by the state government on the operations of its affiliate union, the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria .
In preparation for the forthcoming demonstration, the TUC has called on its members to mobilize for a one-day protest on Monday and anticipates a subsequent withdrawal of services. The protest aims to rally support from all TUC-affiliated unions, including the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, and the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance, and Financial Institutions, among others.
The National President of TUC, Festus Osifo voiced the union’s frustration, highlighting the exhaustive efforts made for a peaceful resolution.
These efforts included written appeals and meetings with the Lagos State government. Additionally, Osifo noted that the RTEAN had sought legal recourse, securing a judgment from the National Industrial Court that declared the state government lacked the authority to proscribe a trade union duly registered by the Federal Government.
Osifo went on to claim that the state government refused to allow the union to exist, and that the TUC would utilise its trade union powers to oppose the ban on its affiliate union.
The union leader also urged the Ministry of Labour and Employment, which has the authority to register and deregister trade unions, to issue a warning to the Lagos State government.
He added, “It is against this backdrop that we said on September 4 that within two weeks, if the Lagos State government remains adamant in resolving the issue, we are going to carry out a protest and after the protest and there is no resolution in sight, there is going to be a total shutdown of Lagos State, because what the state government is doing against a legally registered trade union is not acceptable to us.
“In order for us to carry out a successful protest in Lagos on Monday, we informed the Director-General of the Department of State Services, the Inspector-General of Police, and the National Security Adviser. The reason is that we want them to provide us with adequate security and we have informed all our affiliates to proceed to Lagos next week.”
