TUC President Opens Up: Why We Rejected This NLC Strike

The National President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Kiagama Bobboi, gave reasons why the TUC disagreed with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) shortly before the commencement of the planned strike, saying that NLC was dogmatic in pressing its demands.

The TUC President said that the NLC came to the negotiation table with only one item, which was that the price of fuel be reverted to N86 per litre, even though the meeting with government afforded labour opportunity to address the contending issues once and for all...“At this meeting, we drew attention of our NLC colleagues that there was no reason we should be persistent about one position...lets proffer alternative positions but they insisted there is not alternative position except the government brings back the price to N86. 

“Then we asked NLC, is that your only position and you are not changing to any other alternative? And they said Yes! And the TUC said we were given a first and alternative mandate by our executive, and this is our alternative. Then we asked them to see reason with our own alternative but they said No! 

"That was where disagreement entered. So I want Nigerians to use their sense of judgement and reason if you were in our shoes, what position you would have taken? It is important that in terms of taking decision that will affect the masses, one does not take a fanatical position and eventually mislead people.”