THE National Union of Toad Transport Workers (NURTW) has kicked against the inpending strike action announced by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
The new NURTW leader, Tajudeen Agbede, made the feeling of the Union known on Saturday.
In his view, the NLC should not heat up the polity with threats of strike actions.
The NLC had, a few days ago, released a statement announcing a strike action to take place on Tuesday and Wednesday, 5th-6th of September.
The Labour Union hinged their action on the removal of fuel subsidy by the President Tinubu-led administration and its resultant hardship on the masses.
In reaction to the statement, the NURTW President stressed that, “from the contents of the communiqué, it clearly showed that Comrade Ajaero and his team have lost touch with present reality in the country today or are being blindfolded by political/ethnic considerations, as this is not a perfect time for any reasonable group or person to be nursing the idea of calling out workers on strike when the majority of our people are struggling to survive.”
The NURTW Boss warned that the roles of the NLC goes beyond incessant strike actions.
“I want Comrade Ajaero to realize that the duty of NLC is more than just dishing out strike threats all the time.
“I would advise him to start taking lessons from his predecessors (Comrades Ayuba Wabba, Adams Oshiomhole (etc) on how to run a proper trade Union organisation.
“The present administration of President Bola Tinubu is barely three months in office and Ajaero has threatened to go on strike on 5 different occasions. Haba! Our people in Southwest have started to read ethnic/political meanings to NLC positions on Tinubu administration,” Agbede said.
Agbede revealed that the NURTW were concerned with the true intentions of the NLC regarding the country.
“We are seriously worried and disturbed by the later day interest the NLC is showing in the affairs of our union lately.
“The crisis we are facing today would not have aggravated to this level if the NLC had given it the necessary attention an initio (at the beginning)
”It is on record that aggrieved members and major stakeholders in our union wrote series of letters to the NLC to complain about the atrocities and highhandedness of Baruwa led executive, but NLC did not react or act on those letters.
“Our members were ignored.
“If the NLC had given the letters the required attention at the initial stage, the crisis might have nipped in the bud, but the NLC failed to respond/act,” he said.
Agbede went on to hail the Nigeria Police Force for their “professionalism” and handling of the matter.
“I would like to commend men of the Nigeria Police for their proactive position in the Union matter,” he stated.
“The Police have been very professional in their approach, conduct and utterances since NURTW crisis began.
“And to Baruwa, we would like to advise him to stop wasting his money and resources on a failed project, as the majority of our people have decided to move on with the Agbede-led NURTW.
“And of course, our members made a bold statement on Thursday at our first CWC meeting in Abuja where 80% of state councils and 5 out of the 6 zonal councils were in attendance.
“He should also bear it in mind that at the appropriate time, he would be called upon to render account on how he managed the union funds, especially, the money realised from the NURTW participation in the last general elections conducted by INEC,” Agbede concluded.
