TUC, NLC, hold warning protest in Lagos over RTEAN, NURTW ban

…gives Sanwo-Olu a week for dialogue 

Organised Labour yesterday held a peaceful protest in Lagos to make good its threat to shut down the state if the State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu fails to lift ban on its affiliates, the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, (RTEAN) and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

This is even as it has given the governor a week ultimatum to call the two labour centres, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for a meeting to resolve the matter.

The TUC Secretary General Nuhu Toro

leading the protest in company of other labour leaders said that it was wrong for the government to ban RTEAN and the NURTW in the State.

“We want to assume that the Lagos State Governor is a gentleman. This is the first phase and we expect him to call the organised labour for a meeting within a week. The two transport unions should be allowed to operate freely in Lagos,” he said.
He said labour found it ridiculous and it is important to put the record straight that the subsisting court judgement says the LASG must respect the rights of the unions.
“This is a constitutional right that must be respected. We are here to submit our letter of demands to Governor Sanwo-Olu and the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The spokesperson of TUC said that disobedience of court orders and abridgement of fundamental human rights as regards the RTEAN, and the NURTW would not be allowed.
He said that the union is in the exclusive legislative list and that it should be treated as such.
“Trade unions are on the Exclusive Legislative List, which in simple language means that states, including Lagos State, do not have powers over trade unions not to talk of proscribing them,” he said.
Their letter, which was made available to newsmen stated, “your government in purporting to proscribe RTEAN violates the International Labour Organisation, ILO Convention No. 87 which guarantees humans the right to freely associate.
“Your government’s seizure of the RTEAN offices built by the union is a gross violation of the constitutional right to own property, and your constitutional duty to defend private property.
“The seizure by your government of two TUC buses found on the premises of the RTEAN and repainting them, has no other word but theft. It is unacceptable that your government continues to hold on to the TUC buses and putting them to use.”
Receiving the letter on behalf of Governor Sanwo-Olu, Engr. Olasunkanmi Ojo from the Ministry of Transportation assured the organised labour and members of the transport unions that the Governor would look into their demands.
He told labour leaders that the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry was in another assignment at the Deputy Governor’s office and that the Governor was not around.
He urged them to be calm, adding that the issue would be resolved amicably.

The protesters marching from Ikeja City Mall to the governor’s office had carried placards with inscriptions such as, “TUC/NLC stronger together,” “When Lagos State disobeys court orders, it is executive lawlessness,” “President Tinubu, call Sanwo-Olu to order”.

Labour leaders at the Lagos State Secretariat at Alausa.