Ahead of the forthcoming Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Rivers Council elections slated to hold  this Thursday, Comrade Henry Urombo, one of the chairmanship candidates has pledged to transform labour activities in the State.
Comrade Urombo, who was the immediate past State chairman of Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service , Technical and Recreational Employees (AUPCTRE), stated that he would represent workers creditably and constructively demand worker’s rights.
He said these at the weekend, while briefing journalists in Port Harcourt, saying that NLC in the State required adequate transformation, as to enable labour have strong voice.
According to him, one of the reasons why civil servants’ promotions and  incremental steps were not  implemented was because the current leadership of labour has not approached the government constructively.
“In fact things were not done in chronological order.  You see this era of labour struggle has gone beyond carrying placards in the name of protest to demand workers rights.
“The issue is that as labour leaders we should be able to approach the government with relevant facts and pragmatic approach to demand our rights.
“Any serious minded labour leader should know the actual number of  staff strength of civil servants and the total wage bill”, Comrade Henry Urombo said.
Reacting to the issue of the incumbent chairman being retired and still seeking for second term, he said that is not possible.
Com. Henry explained that article 20 of NLC constitution made it clear that once you are retired you have to leave any position you are holding immediately.
”We cannot ride on illegality, if the State Executive Council (SEC) of NLC allowed her to finish her tenure does not mean she is eligible to contest.
The current guidelines of NLC issued to various unions on the 9th April, 2019, says a worker that has less than four years to retire is notelegible to contest any position in NLC”, he stated.