Our Inactivity in Politics Placed Us in Pitiable Condition, Says TUC President

Ugo Aliogo

The President of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr. Quadri Olaleye, has stated that the inactivity of the union in politics has put its members in a pitiable condition, especially in the area of implementation of minimum wage.

Olaleye disclosed this at a media briefing in Lagos yesterday, to inaugurate the south-west political commission that would be saddled with the responsibility of sensitising members of the public on the 2023 elections.
He also stated that part of the agenda was that the congress would roll out an agenda that is sellable, adding that the TUC would make use of its numbers.

He said the TUC had earlier convened a political round table with the theme: “The Role of Organised Labour in Promoting Participatory Democracy and Good Governance in Nigeria: Perspectives on 2023 General Elections” in Abuja recently.

“The round table provided a platform that elicited conversations on varied political, social, and economic challenges facing the country and the task before the Labour Movement in providing solutions through a working people political alternative to perennial leadership problems in Nigeria,” he said.

TUC president, who spoke about the danger of workers staying away from politics and expressed the commitment of the leadership of the Congress not to waste the opportunity provided in a liberal democracy again.

Olaleye revealed the readiness of his leadership to mobilise members of TUC, Nigerian Workers, and the masses in general to change the political leadership narrative in Nigeria for transformative governance and social justice.

According to him, the TUC would not be part of the group that would destabilise the peace of the country.
He recalled that the Department of State Services (DSS) had warned of a sinister plan to stoke violence in parts of Nigeria, particularly the North-Central region.

Continuing, he said: “The TUC want a situation whereby in the 2023 elections, all workers will be fully mobilised to go to the polls and elect the best candidate for their agenda.  

“2023 is very important to the working class of this country; so on that note we are going to inaugurate the electoral commission of the six States and part of their responsibilities is to engage politically on behalf of the trade union congress of Nigeria.

“The newly inaugurated states’ political commissions were authorized to kick start their political education and mobilisation towards 2023, and were also authorised to have media engagement on behalf of TUC on political issues in line with the national guidelines.”