Nwapa said this in a statement he issued on Wednesday amid the ongoing controversy over the attack and brutalisation of the National President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, by police officers and thugs in Imo State.
A revolutionary activist and National Secretary, Youth Rights Campaign (YRC), Francis Nwapa, has said that the complacency of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has emboldened those he described as political tyrants and weakened the organised labour movement in the country.
Nwapa said this in a statement he issued on Wednesday amid the ongoing controversy over the attack and brutalisation of the National President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, by police officers and thugs in Imo State.
Nwapa stated that “Ordinarily one would expect that in an election year or season like we have in IMO and KOGI States, the thieving Nigeria ruling elites would disguise to be "saints" by pacifying all and sundry including workers and pensioners by ensuring they are paid as at when due.”
According to him, “Some Political office holders, 15-20 years down the line, would even go all out embarking on "window projects" just to win the heart of the citizens and secure a second term in office.”
He said that “The actions of Hope Uzodimma, current Governor of Imo State in an election season is a revelation of how the Complacency of the leadership of Organized Labour & TUC has emboldened tyrants who are not bothered of political consequences even among workers and youths.
“For Hope Uzodimma to have continued his attack on not just workers in Imo State but also using the Nigeria Police and thugs to violently attack the National leadership of NLC is a "Salt pinch" revelation of how Organized Labour & TUC leadership reduced the movement through their regular alliance with the ruling elites, endorsing Neolibera policies and their total betrayal of workers in Nigeria and Africa.
“I condemn in totality the sack of over 11, 000 workers, non-payment of over 20 months salaries and the violent attack on the leadership of organised Labour in Imo State by the Hope Uzodimma administration.
“I must also point out that the precedence of attack on Labour leadership was set by the Tinubu administration in Lagos State when Comrade Ayodele Akele was sacked and persecuted till his death for leading workers to struggle for a better wage and working condition.
“It's also important to point out how El Rufai hired thugs to attack workers and the Leadership of Organised Labour in Kaduna.”
Nwapa said that the leadership of organised labour is fast losing its respect and what it takes to command one.
He noted that “Since 1999 till date there has been a steady attack on the workers movement by the ruling elites.
“The continuous non-involvement of workers by its leadership in the movement and unilateral decision taking by its bureaucrat leadership further strengthen the political interest of capitalist politicians in the Labour movement to ensure antiworkers policies go unchallenged.
“These are some of the unilateral decisions taken by the Labour center leadership that has continue to weaken the movement and undermine the power of workers:
“Leadership of organised labour sit on National council on privatization.
“Leadership of organised labour "okays" IMF/World Bank Policies like Deregulation, commercialisation, Devaluation, Monetisation. Leadership of organised labour "okays Casualization directly & indirectly.
“Leadership of organised labour refused to build working people political alternative, rather support bourgeois politicians during elections. Leadership of organised labour keep criminal silence on issues that affects youths and working people in Nigeria, Africa and globally.
“This is the time for the two center leadership to openly reject all Neoliberal economic policies, commence the building of a working class political alternative armed with socialist programs, begin to mobilise Nigerian workers and youths to fight back all anti-people's policies of the Bola Tinubu-led APC government which continue to entrench millions of Nigerians in Multi-dimensional poverty. The time to fight back is now.”