By Dupson Collins, 6th September, 2023
Following report of alleged humiliation and attack on some workers during the monitoring of workers by NLC Team in compliance with the two days warning strike embarked upon by the Labour Movement, the leadership of the union in Ondo State has refuted the claim by the sister union of attack on its members.
The State Chairperson of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ondo State Council, Comrade Victor Oladele Amoko made the clarification while feeding questions from journalists at the Union’s Secretariat in Akure, Ondo State Capital.
Comrade Amoko said his team move around to monitor the compliance of its workers in regard to the warning strike, saying only affiliated unions members who disobey the directive were prevented from entering their offices.
Reacting to the viral video in circulation, Comrade Amoko affirmed that though it could be a difficult process identifying members but that as many people as possible identified as members were made to comply as their offices were closed down for operations.
His words: ” Members can not be attacking selves on issues that concerns everyone saying his team while monitoring level of compliance did shut doors that were not locked as directed”.
“We were following instructions to move round and monitor compliance. We know that our members opens and closes gates and if a gate is open, then such gates were shut. Someone cannot claim our members, we all know where we belong”, he added.
He further said the union has no issue with the State Government and the Head of Service, Pastor Kayode Ogundele saying they were only carrying out the directive of the National Body of NLC.
” The warning strike is the directive from the national body of the union which every state of the federation must compliance with. We have no issue with Governor Akeredolu but the hardship caused by the removal of fuel subsidy and federal government insensitivity to the plight of workers and over 200 millions Nigeria led to the warning strike”.
According to him, the state chapter is not working in isolation but in accordance with national directives thus, as an entity it has no issue with the state government or the Head of Service.
The Chairperson said the cordial relationship between NLC and the state government remain intact and would continue as the two days strike has nothing to do with the state government.
