By VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG
ORGANIZED Labour yesterday called off its mass action and picketing of the offices of Union Bank of Nigeria, UBN, Plc, following an agreement between leaders of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the management of UBN, in the early hours of yesterday.

Until this development, officials of NLC and their civil society allies, for three day crippled operations of the bank nationwide include the Marina Head office over 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.

Besides, the de-recognition of the bank’s unit of ASSBIFI, the management also said the 13 officials of ASSBIFI were dismissed from service among other anti-labour practices.

The presidency had through the Ministry of Labour and Productivity, summoned leaders of NLC and the management of the bank to Abuja on Wednesday to have the matter resolved after NLC had threatened to declare a national solidarity strike for February 21.

At Wednesday meeting haired by the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, the matter would have been resolved after the management led by the Group Managing Director, Mrs. Funke Osibodu, agreed to withdraw its earlier de-recognition of the union, but said it could only recall 12 of the 13 sacked union officials except the secretary, Comrade Theodore Ogbonna.

But the NLC team led by its President, Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, insisted the secretary must be recalled alongside 12 others, arguing that the secretary was the bedrock of the union.

Because of the deadlock created by this, the meeting was adjoined to Thursday.

The management, Vanguard gathered, finally agreed to recall the secretary, Comrade  Ogbonna in the early hours of yesterday, leading an agreement that paved for a return to status quo. That is, the situation existing before the January announcement of withdrawal of recognition of the union.