The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has vowed to boycott Monday’s meeting with the Federal government if the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong will be part of it.
The President of NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero issued this warning while addressing newsmen in Abuja on Sunday, after briefing them on the plights of workers in Imo State.
It was gathered that the invitation to both leaders of NLC and Trade Union Congress was sent by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
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Ajaero, disclosed that the minister went against the agreement on the issue of crisis in the NURTW by taking sides with a faction to the dispute.
Recall that NLC had earlier accused Lalong of giving support to the illegal faction of the NURTW and encouraging them to conduct their own Delegates conference, both zonally and nationally in a bid to confer legitimacy to the group.
Ajaero said that NLC believed that any meeting with the Minister is a waste of time since he appears not to be in control of issues as far labour relations are concerned.
“Hopefully, we may meet tomorrow (Monday) with the federal government to see whether the agreement with organised labour on the fuel subsidy removal palliatives were met or not.
“If that meeting is to hold, it will be without the Minister of Labour and Employment, because we will not be part of any meeting with the federal government that the Minister of Labour and Employment will attend.
“You will recall that the decision we had on National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) was that all parties including the Police should the premises pending the resolution of the dispute but that did not happen.
“Therefore any meeting we will have the Federal government, the Minister of Labour and Employment will not be part of it,” Ajaero, who was flanked by other labour leaders said.
