By VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG
THE Presidency, yesterday, waded into the lingering dispute between organised labour and the management of Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, over the management of the bank’s withdrawal of recognition to its unit of Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions, ASSBIFI, affiliated to NLC among other grievances..

This came as officials of NLC and their civil society allies paralysed operations of the banks nationwide for a second day.

The corporate head office was taken over by the picketers as early as 6.30 a.m. yesterday and most of the staff who had come to work, were shut out.

Vanguard gathered that NLC threat to declare a nationwide solidarity strike over the dispute with Union Bank on February 21, jolted the presidency and directed that the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Chukwuemeka Wogu, to ensure that the dispute was resolved without degenerating to a national strike

The Minister was said to have reached out to the leaders of NLC who had earlier vowed not to attend any meeting called by the Minister on the issue over allegation that the Minister had taken side,  and pleaded with them to attend yesterday’s meeting to find an amicable solution to the dispute that was already having a serious negative effect on the bank.

The meeting which started by 4 p.m at the conference room of Ministry of Labour and Productivity, was led on NLC side by its President, Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, after leading others and their civil society allies to pickets the bank’s offices in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

The management of the bank side was led by the Group Managing Director, GMD, Mrs. Funke Osibodu.

At press time, the outcome of meeting chaired by the Minister of Labour, Chief Wogu, was being awaited.

Meanwhile, the bank has appealed to the NLC to sheath its sword in order to give room for dialogue and peaceful resolution of the industrial dispute.

Yesterday’s picketing at the Marina Head office of the bank was led by Deputy President of the NLC, Comrade Onikolease Irabor and leaders of the affiliate unions.