Unless the federal ministry of labour acts speedily, its employees in Geneva, Switzerland may turn destitutes.
A Nigerian resident in Geneva contacted Labour Vanguard and expressed concern about the state of the employees.

He said, “ The families of these employees have had their electricity supply cut off, they have no insurance, which means if they are sick, they cannot go to any hospital here. In fact, some of them have members of their families so depressed and the Nigerian community has done its best to help them”.

According to the source, name withheld, “ What is going on here is an embarrassment to us and the government of Nigeria. How can people be owed eight months salary in a country as expensive as Switzerland?

He spoke of plans by members of the Nigerian community to stage a protest in our embassies in Geneva and Bern should the families of the affected staff be thrown out of their homes.

Last month, the executive secretary of the Organisation of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU) and former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Alhaji Hassan Sunmonu was in Abuja to discuss non-payment of salary to three employees with the Minister of Labour, Chief Emeka Wogu.

Meanwhile, a reliable source informed Vanguard that the ministry of labour is making efforts to send money to Geneva to pay the affected staff. It is however not known how many months salary would be paid to them.

Civil Service Union wants FG to prioritize agriculture

Worried by the current global technological development which is threatening the world oil and gas-based economy, the Nigeria Civil Service Union, NCSU, has called on the Federal Government to, as a matter of priority; refocus the nation’s economy on Agriculture and Industrialization.

The union in a communiqué issued at the end of a two-day workshop, in Kaduna, called on organized Labour live up to its role as the voice of the voiceless in the society and call for a total shift from the oil and gas-based economy in view of the global changes.

The communiqué called on government and trade unions at all levels to reflect womens’ views in local and national policies, and ensure gender main-streaming in organizational strategies, to achieve gender equality and woman empowerment. NCSU, called on Labour Unions to embark on economic investments to avoid over dependent on check-off dues for general administration of the unions

NUPENG inaugurates JEPTFON branch

NATIONAL Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, has inaugurated a new branch, know as Jetty and Petroleum Tank Farm owners of Nigeria, (JEPTFON), is now a Branch of NUPENG.

President of NUPENG, Comrade Igwe Achese, who disclosed this development, said the alliance agreement between JEPTFON and NUPENG was signed recently.

According to him: “As you are aware, Jetty and Petroleum Tank Farm owners of Nigeria, (JEPTFON), is now a Branch of NUPENG. The alliance agreement between JEPTFON and NUPENG was signed recently.”

CAMPEF loses Igbokwe

A member of the Human Resource Committee of the Chemical and Non-Metallic Products Employers’ Federation ( CAMPEF), Mr. Ifeanyi Igbokwe is dead. He died last week in Lagos . Until his death, Mr. Igbokwe who was head of administration with NYCIL Ltd., represented his employers’ federation at meeting of the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association. He was a brother to rights activist, Mr. Joe Igbokwe.

NLC rejects Electricity tariff’s hike, VAT

NIGERIA Labour Congress, NLC, has rejected the hike in Electricity Tariff by the government through the National Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, and government planned to increase the Value Added Tax, VAT.

Leaders of NLC in a communique at the end of their National Executive Council, NEC meeting in Akure, Ondo state, said the “NEC-in session noted the recent increase in electricity tariffs and expressed its disapproval of the policy and called on government to immediately abolish same as the increment was done unilaterally by government without due consultation of stakeholders in the country.

In the same spirit, NEC called on government not to increase Value Added Tax (VAT) as is being contemplated and in view of the agreement it reached with Labour in 2007 that brought to an end a nationwide General Strike over VAT increment among two other issues.”