TUC may ask members to stop going to work if…

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has threatened it would soon direct workers in statutory corporations and government-owned companies to stop going to work if the challenge of fuel scarcity across the country persists for the next few days.

The Congress also demanded that President Muhammadu Buhari swing into action by identifying and punishing those who caused the scarcity that has brought untold hardship upon Nigerians.

National Treasurer of TUC, Mohammad Yunusa, stated these during an interview in Abuja at the weekend on the sideline of the delegate conference of the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC).

Yunusa, who was also the immediate past President-General of SSASCGOC, explained that members of his association have already been directed to stay at their respective homes pending when there will be a regular supply of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly called petrol.

He said: “The union’s position is very clear. Those who caused this scarcity should be identified and punished very well. The position of SSASCGOC also is that, you know we are affiliated to TUC, and we have made it known to TUC that let the workers stop going to work until there is enough fuel to take them to work.

“This is the way to do it. We are waiting for our centre to respond to our position but our position in SSASCGOC is that there is no need to go to work. Hang around in your house. When the fuel, the one they are saying billion of litres of petrol is coming, when it comes, and there is regular supply, then we will start going to work.”

The union leader, while commenting on a one-month strike embarked upon by members of ASUU, also berated the Federal government over its lackadaisical attitude towards education systems in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.

He stressed that the Federal government had on many occasions signed Memorandum of Understanding with many unions without fulfilling its promises at the end of the day.

According to him: “The major problem unionism has in Nigeria is that the governments do not listen. You can’t have constructive engagements with the government in Nigeria.”

He added: “Let’s look at the case of ASUU, they are talking about the agreement they entered with the Federal Government many years back, and up till now, the government has not fulfilled it.

”So, over the years, because there is no constructive engagements; it is when you call out your members for strike that government will listen to you.”