Former leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria have intervened in the dispute between the two labour centres over the Federal Government’s N70,000 transport allowance, securing an agreement by their presidents to halt public exchanges and resolve the disagreement through dialogue.
The intervention followed a public exchange between NLC President Joe Ajaero and his TUC counterpart, Festus Osifo, over the transport allowance the Federal Government introduced to cushion the impact of rising transportation costs following the removal of the fuel subsidy.
The disagreement, which spilt into personal exchanges on national television, had raised concerns over the unity of organised labour and its ability to present a common front in defending workers’ interests.
Speaking with journalists on Wednesday in Abuja, former NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, said labour veterans from both centres had consulted the two presidents and secured their commitment to stop further hostilities pending a formal meeting to resolve the dispute.
Wabba, who spoke on the sidelines of the 52nd National Executive Council session of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, described the disagreement as a family misunderstanding that should be resolved through dialogue.
He said the veterans had reminded both labour centres that they shared a common objective and must preserve their unity in the interest of Nigerian workers.
The former President of the International Trade Union Confederation said the intervention aimed to resolve the immediate disagreement and prevent similar incidents in the future.
He said, ‘It’s a family misunderstanding between the two centres, and we have made it clear that workers’ organisations are supposed to be one because the objective is one and the aim is one.
‘So, that seeming misunderstanding has escalated, and we have said all hostilities should stop. We will actually try to meet with them to see what happened and how future occurrences can also be prevented.’
Wabba identified the veterans involved in the intervention as former TUC President Peter Esele and former NLC presidents Bobboi Kaigama, Hassan Sunmonu, Abdulwaheed Omar, and himself.
According to him, the veterans had communicated among themselves and reached out to the two labour leaders, who reportedly accepted the need to resolve the matter.
He said the TUC General Secretary, Ajaero and other stakeholders were present during the interaction, which ended on a conciliatory note.
‘The TUC General Secretary was here; I was here; the NLC President was here. All of us embraced ourselves and said, ‘Well, it’s a family issue.’
‘Therefore, we have also said members of the press should not actually try to advance issues that are not there because, even in your immediate family, you can have some internal issues.
‘But that internal issue is certainly meant to be resolved, and we are working towards that very effectively because that is the hallmark of trade unionism: to resolve issues, even with our employers, through dialogue and social dialogue,’ he said.
Wabba disclosed that some of the key actors in the disagreement were currently away, expressing optimism that a formal meeting would be held upon their return.
He added, ‘But for the meantime, we said we don’t see the necessity of further talking to the press because that, in itself, does not bring any solution.’
Earlier, Ajaero maintained that the ?70,000 transport allowance secured for workers would remain part of the benefits to be considered when negotiations for a new minimum wage commenced.