Ex-Judge Wants Industrial Council Set Up

The leadership of the organised labour movement has been called upon to ensure the immediate set up of an industrial council within the labour movement.

Retired Chief Judge, National Industrial Court, Justice Madayton Dabibi made the call while speaking at the Trade Union Congress (TUC) labour movement centenary celebrating public lecture in Port Harcourt.

The retired chief judge stated that the Industrial Council had existed in Port Harcourt before, and stressed the need for such a council to consist of labour leaders as well as Industrial Relation Officers of companies, representatives of the Ministry of  Labour, and religious bodies.

He said, the survival of the trade union movement as a movement of the working class depends on this industrial council to solve social problems among the working class.

Chief Dabibi enjoined the TUC and NLC to partner with the government to discuss the security challenges facing the country.

He challenged the organised labour movement to demand immediate public action against perpetrators of the fraud discovered in the police pension fund, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to expand their activities by being proactive on the issue of corruption.

The Retired Judge said the labour movement has the responsibility to broaden its scope to meet its basic objective of regulating the terms and conditions of employment of its members.

He called upon the various unions to closely watch the activities of their employers to ensure job security and improved working conditions of the workers.

Philip Okparaji