Business
Union Leader Charges Labour On Societal Ills
General Secretary, Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE), Mr Phillip Agbonkonkon, last Thursday advised labour to correct the nation’s society ills.
Agbonkonkon, who gave the advice at a meeting with union members in Lagos, added that workers should have faith and be epitome of courage in the struggle for the country’s development.
He said that the unions must strive to sustain their relevance in the nation and at the work place, for economic growth.
“As members of the labour movement, workers must fight against the growing corruption in public and corporate governance which has become an obstacle to economic development and purposeful governance.
“We must ensure that government solves the problem of decay in infrastructure such as water, electricity, health, education and housing“, he said.
Agbonkonkon said that the denial of limited trade union rights in some public sector establishment must be rejected by workers for them to be able to take a stand.
The union’s scribe added that workers must ensure that government showed the ability to guarantee security, promote and sustain national unity and stability.
He said that the founding fathers of the labour movement, such as the late Dr Michael Imoudu, Mr H. P. Nzeribe and Mr Okei Achamba, did not espouse capitalism but were either socialist or social democrats.
“This informed and empowered them to struggle for a genuinely democratic Nigeria and social justice.
“Regional sentiments, faith divide and ethnic cleavages were strange to them as labour leaders“, he said.