NUBIFIE Dissociates Self from ULC Planned Strike, Elects New Executive

• Announces return to NLC

By Sunday Okobi   and  Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

The National Union of Banks Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees, (NUBIFIE) has dissociated itself from the planned strike being called by the United Labour Congress (ULC).

This position was taken at the just concluded delegates’ conference held in Lagos at the weekend where new executive members were elected to pilot the affairs of the union.

In a statement made available to journalists last Saturday, the newly elected President of the union, Abdulrasheed Lukman, emphasised that “the new leadership of the union stated categorically that the union is not aware of and will not partake in any planned industrial action as called by the ULC. The process of engaging in industrial action is well stipulated in the laws of the land and rules of engagement.

“The union just emerged from its delegate conference, and a new leadership was formed. There are a number of issues begging for attention following series of happenings in our industry, shutting the financial industry at this critical period of our economic life is not an option.”   

Lukman further hinted that the congress in session neither discussed nor did it ratify any industrial action, stressing therefore that NUBIFIE dissociates itself from any planned strike being championed by ULC.

The union equally announced a return to affiliation with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), adding that its affiliation with ULC, in the first place, was not in line with the union’s constitution.

According to him, “The affiliation of NUBIFIE to ULC was done out of the context of the procedure and constitution of our great union and the congress in session resolved and passed a resolution for the return of NUBIFIE to its original affiliation, NLC, as contained in the union’s constitution.”

ULC, therefore, directed all its members in the bank and insurance companies to shun any other directive contrary to its position.

Other executive members who emerged at the conference were Deputy President 1, Emmanuel Ogbanje; Deputy President 2, Ibrahim Saidu; Vice President, Thomas Omoaka; National Treasurer,  Wasiu Ajila; Deputy Treasurer, Bassey Mbede.

Others were the Signing Trustee, Emmanuel Ederofia; National Trustee 1, Ademola Omodiji; Auditor 1, Samson Adesanya; Auditor 2, Kehinde Mathew; Auditor 3, Osasuyi Edomwonyi; National Female Rep, Omotayo Shonaike.

Meanwhile. the Edo State chapter of ULC at the weekend vowed to shutdown petrol stations across the state in compliance with the directives of the national leadership of the union to commence indefinite nation wide strike today.

The state Chairman, ULC, Eddy Ossai, said only a contrary directives from the national leadership can stop the union from embarking on the strike as the state council has fully mobilised its affiliate unions.

He said the labour body had at the end of its emergency National Administrative Council (NAC) meeting last Friday urged its members to proceed on nation wide strike come Monday, an aftermath of seven days strike notice following failure by federal government to meet its demands.

“Today, we will shut down Edo State because no petrol station will sell petrol as we will go round to put them under lock and key, because NUPENG, National Union of  Electricity Employees and the banks are involved in the strike. We just pray that government would meet with the national body so that we can called of the strike.

“We would put all our affiliate union out to make sure that the state is in compliance with the directive of the national body.”

He described statement credited to the Minister of Labour and Productivity that the labour union lacked the capacity to initiate strike as an aberration

  “The government cannot say we don’t have the right to go on strike because we are labour union . It behoves on them to call on us to say what are the issues and see how to resolve them but for government to say they want to frustrate us, that  would not be possible.”

Ossai however, appealed to the people of the state to bear with the union over the likely hardship the strike would cause them, saying there was the urgent need for federal government to dialogue with the national leadership of the union.