NLC reconciliation committee meeting ends deadlocked

By Adedeji Adeyemi Fakorede

The Reconciliation Committee of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has failed to resolve the leadership crisis rocking the congress.

The committee, headed by aced labour leader Hassan Summonu, failed to reach an agreeable resolution to end the crisis.

The union was factionalised at the end of its delegates’ conference in Abuja in 2015.
The factional NLC President, Mr Joe Ajaero, in a letter addressed to Summonu, expressed disappointment over the uncommitted attitude of some of the congress members to the reconciliation.

“We had believed that all of us were genuinely committed to speedily working through the process to reach acceptable compromise.

“The reconciliation is expected to assist the aggrieved parties build a new and vibrant movement and not pseudo outcomes that might further undermine Nigerian workers and weaken the NLC,’’ the letter said.

It said that it would be unfair to keep with the traditions of the Congress as a protector of the masses to continue with the reconciliation effort if it proceeds beyond the end of this month.

The letter noted that the process as presently configured has begun to work against the interest of Nigerian workers and the Congress.

“We re-emphasis that we may no longer be found available at the table any longer if these meetings continue beyond the end of January 2016,’’ it cautioned.

The letter said it was regrettable that the prolonged reconciliation and lack of cohesion by the congress has affected workers in getting their right during privatisation of the electricity sector.