By Peter OBIORA investadvocate

Jan 19 2011 05.12 GMT

Sir Sunny Nwosu, National Chairman of the Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN) has affirmed that Funke Osibodu, Group Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer (GMD/CEO) of Union Bank of Nigeria Plc (UBN) has no right to ban Unionism in the Bank.

 

The Shareholder Leader made this affirmation to investadvocate Tuesday January 18 2011 at the Association’s Headquarters in Lagos Nigeria.

 

He affirmed that Osibodu has no right over the proscription of local chapter of Association of Seniour Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI); affiliated to the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).

 

This is coming on the heels of withdrawal the Management’s recognition of the local chapter of ASSIBIFI and Union Bank Association of Senior Staff (UBASS); following allegations that the strike action the Union mobilised was illegal.

 

He said the NLC is there and if the Association banned by the Management of the Bank was operating illegally; then Osibodu and her team has every right not to accord them recognition.

 

“If this Association which Osibodu is talking about is an illegal one, then she has the right not to recognise them” Sir Nwosu said.

 

The Shareholder Leader further affirmed that over the years, it is ASSIBIFI that built the Bank which she is managing at the moment.

 

“If she feels very bad about the operations of the Union, she should sit down and dialogue with them on the way forward” he affirmed.

 

Nwosu said that the Union complements good management, “if the Management is wrong and ASSIBIFI feel strongly convinced about this fact, they would have to speak out, the constitution allows that. Union Bank Management cannot create another constitution outside that of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that guides all of us” he said.

 

The ISAN National coordinator said that whatever Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is doing, there have been a lot of embarrassment from those he brought in to help salvage the fortunes of the rescued Banks.

 

“Those that Sanusi brought are only there to take care of their pocket and by the time we go into the issue proper, people will discover what has happened in those Banks” Nwosu said.

 

According to the Shareholder Leader, if Osibodu was a good Manager, the Union of the Bank would not be agitating against her. “If she is a good Manager, nobody would antagonise her, Union will not; because their interest would be to develop the Bank and ensure that the business grows” he said.

 

Nwosu said strike actions have been going on in Nigeria; involving the NLC and other Unions; even against the Federal Government and if it was illegitimate, they wouldn’t have embarked on such actions. “We want stability, if the NLC recognises a Union, why can’t Union Bank recognise an affiliate of the NLC” he said.

 

investadvocate has gathered that as a follow up of the withdrawal of recognition of the local chapter of ASSIBIFI and UBASS of Union Bank, the Management would today Wednesday January 19 2011 issue a Circular demanding that staff should renounce their membership of all Unions.

 

The Union Leaders of the Bank affirm that if members comply, then they may sooner or later lose their jobs. “If it is eventually given, they must be reminded that giving in to this devilish trick has enormous implications. Members must not withdraw from the Unions if they want to retain their jobs” they said.