NLC, TUC dare El-Rufai, as Kaduna govt insists workers can opt out of labour unions
Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai
A statement on Thursday signed by NLC chairman, Adamu Ango, and his TUC counterpart, Shehu Mohammed, said no amount of campaign of calumny from any quarters would deter the leadership of the unions from demanding for the rights of workers in the state.
“The demand for workers for a verification from indicating their choice to belong to the union or not is tantamount to an infringement on their fundamental human rights,” the statement said.
“Union membership is a constitutional issue which is above the jurisdiction of any state government. Labour unions would resist any attempt to polarize and create dis-harmony among it members.”
They advised workers in the state to remain resolute and be law abiding while conducting their duties. .
They also urged the state government to publish names of workers who aided and abetted ghost workers in the state, and to also make same available to the NLC and the TUC for necessary action.
“Colossal amount involve of N 500,000,000,00 per months; is big enough to assist the government in its developmental programmes in the state,” the unions said.
The unions objected, protesting and lobbying workers to ignore the options being offered them government.
PREMIUM TIMES learned that the workers felt a substantial number of workers might opt out, and that check-off dues remitted to the unions might drop significantly.
The government has however insisted that the verification process would continue the way it has been designed.
A spokesperson for Governor El-Rufai said “public servants first became employees before they became union members.
“Cooperation with the employer to verify the status of every worker is expected. It cannot be made a reason for industrial action.
“Refusal to participate in verification will result in the concerned persons being removed from the payroll.
“The labour leadership seems to be afraid that workers will opt-out of joining unions.
“If that be the case, the unions should seek ways to increase their attraction to workers, including persuading them to opt for continued membership.
“Inciting workers against a legitimate process of updating their personnel records is counter-productive.”