Labour Bill: NLC Lobbies PDP
From Chuks Okocha in Abuja
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday commenced discussions with the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on how to avoid the decentralisation of the NLC as contained in the new labour bill sent to the National Assembly by President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Obasanjo in an executive bill to the National Assembly sought for a legislation to decentralise labour-related affairs in the country.
The new bill contains provision, which outlaw trade unions from embarking on strikes without a resolution passed by at least two third majority of their members or registered federation of trade union.
Also, according to the new bill, NLC would cease to exist and a new body to be known as Federation of Trade Unions would take over with each of the trade unions maintaining its independence.
But to stave off the new bill, NLC President, Adams Oshiomhole yesterday commenced lobby of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP to convince Obasanjo against the bill.
Oshiomhole held a two-hour meeting with the PDP National Chairman, Chief Audu Ogbeh, at the party's national secretariat yesterday over the matter.
Speaking to newsmen after the meeting, Ogbeh said, "the NLC president was here and we discussed issues including the new labour bill currently before the National Assembly."
"He (referring to Oshiomhole) suggested that we should take a second look at the bill before the National Assembly.
He said a weak labour might not be in the interest of the nation. He also said in any government, somebody must be able to say No, because nobody is always right, neither government nor the labour. He also said that there is the need for dialogue.
"We have seen his points and government has its points and line of argument. Government may not be right, as well labour may not be right. Having made these points, we will reflect on it, we will consider them and present a position to the President when he is back," he added.
Ogbeh said NLC President canvassed for the fresh sitting of the Government/Labour Committee on Appropriate Petroleum Pricing. He added that the NLC president also noted that it will not be right for government to allow market forces to determine the pricing of petroleum products.
According to Ogbeh "the NLC President said the committee should commence sitting now so as to enable it to intervene when the price of the petroleum products is very high and to intervene when the price is very low." He added Oshiomhole also said "this is the time for the committee to start meeting again in a peaceful atmosphere, let all issues be looked into."
Ogbeh said he has no objection to the suggestions made by the NLC President. "For me, I think there is no harm in dialogue and when the President comes back, I will present it to him," he added.
Ogbeh explained why government cannot intervene in fuel related matters, stating that government has handed over fuel to the marketers because of its deregulation policy.
"As a government policy, we are taking our hands off, because of deregulation, we cannot control them any more. Government's real action is to withdraw from it and allow market forces to determine it, but on the other hand, labour is saying that unbridled market forces will hurt the people and this is true, "he said.
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