OUR HISTORY
Introduction
The primary objective of Trade Union Organization is to defend the Economic Interest of its member’s negotiation, dialogue and collective bargaining on trade disputes, protest, rallies and strike. Trade Union is equally integral part of the society, they have become an important part of the economic fabrics of Nigeria recognized and consulted by employers of Labour and governments.
Brief History of the Union
Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) came to being as a result of merger of the former three Unions, who voluntarily resolved to merge and became what is known today as Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE), the three Unions are:-
• National Union of Public Corporation Employees (NUPCE)
• Civil Service Technical Workers Union of Nigeria (CSTWUN)
• Recreational Services Employees Union (RESU)
The above Unions are product of amorphous of Comrade Wahab Goodluck era that merged in 1976/1977 and each became one of the forty-two (42) affiliates of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) headed by Comrade (Alhaji) Hassan Sunmonu as President and Comrade Aliyu Kangiwa as General Secretary.
The need to further restructure the trade Union was identified by some Union. Accordingly, three former Unions as stated above willingly merged in the historic merger Conference in Sokoto on the 22nd March, 1996. The willingness to merge made the pre-merger Conference of the Unions in Bauchi, Bauchi State possible.
AUPCTRE formation is to address problems of workers who are its members that have their source from outside the work place. These include housing, rent health-care, transportation for self and children, inflation, poverty taxation economic policy of government, unemployment and democracy etc.
The ideals of social democracy enjoin trade Unions to address employment based problems and societal problems identified above as the traditions and cardinal functions of well-meaning trade unions.
As a Trade Union, we are committed to social democracy, addressing problems of workers in the work place and problems of workers and society generally outside the work place, because there exist definite linkage between workplace and the larger society, AUPCTRE, leaders manifest nationalistic perspectives rather than sectional or regional because work-place problems are those emanating in society effect rank and file members and the entire working class irrespective of ethnic, regional and religious affiliations.
Brief Union Ideology
Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) fundamental ideas and focus was the recognition that Trade Unions are essentially class organization of workers. Members are part and parcel of the working class irrespective of their ethnic, region and religious affiliations not on conservative and or business class.
For the bourgeoisie who irrespective of their ethnic, region and religious affiliations are united either in business, boardrooms, political parties, highbrow social clubs and seek to influence or control governments largely for the benefit of their class while claiming to govern in the interest of the people and Nation but also committed to sustaining extremis of affluence of tiny minority and extreme of poverty the vast majority of the people including the pauperizations of the so called middle class. For them, social justice is narrow defined to exclude economic justice.
For them, feudal and neo-feudal conservative features of in-equality and ordained for them, social mobility should be the exception. For them, the more poverty persists, the stronger their promotion in the society, for them, politics and governance should be exclusive reserve of the privilege of their stooges. For them ethnic, region and religious cleavages must be constantly fanned in order to divide the people and entrench their dominance. For them, the market and profit is the cardinal determinant of the State, properly and National well-being for them, therefore, success in life is interpreted in terms of personal properly at the expense of general development and well-being.
The working class and their allies, that is intellectual, professionals, youths, unemployed (social democrats) – socialist with whom they have share common values of commitment to social justice such as economic, social and political right; the need for a State, that is governance, that would genuinely serve the interest of the nation, promote social mobility by ensuring the right of all Nigerians to knowledge skills and basic needs; advocate politics and governance based on ideals and open to every citizenry without constrains of wealth and status.
Social democrats/socialists of which the working class are an integral part, there is an inherent comment to the right of the citizenry to full and decent employment, the right of workers to decent wages that would guarantee basic needs and the right of workers and Trade Unions to co-determine with employers their conditions of service.
While the bourgeoisie and their cohorts ideology is capitalism in its various manifestation i.e sovereignty of the market, money, privileges and properly working class ideology is their Trade Union and allies is that of socialism in it various manifestation including social democracy – of centre and right social democracy is also a variant of socialism and shares with it some basic features.
The Sokoto Conference successfully produced strong leadership for the brand new Union known as Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) and the following officers were elected as the pioneer leaders of the Union for the period (1996-2000):-
1. Com. D.A. Adekola – National President
2. Com. M Amaike – National Deputy President
3. Com. S.I. Williams – National Treasurer
4. Com. Okey Atama
5. Com. D.M. Abele – Secretary Finance
6. Com. Mrs C.A. Onyeka – Women Commission
While the first members of National Executive Council (NEC) comprises of those five elected officers and the following appointed officers as Board Members:
7. Com. S.O.Z. Ejiofoh – General Secretary
8. Com. P.E. Agbonkonkon – Principal Deputy General Secretary
9. Com. G.E. Ibeawuchi – Principal Deputy General Secretary
10. Com. C.A. Ajayii – Deputy General Secretary
11. Com. Isiaka Ibrahim – Deputy General Secretary
After merger, the Union forms its governing body for effective management, the National Board of Trustees (NBOT) saddle with the responsibility of expanding the Union funds while the National Executive Council (NEC) will administer the Union activities in between National Governing Council (NGC) and the National Delegates Conference (NDC) which is the highest decision making body of the Union, which coverage after every four years and elect new leadership for the Union comprising delegates from all over the country as well as FCT Council.
This administrative arrangement is step down to State, as State Board of Trustees (SGC), State Executive Council (SEC) and State Governing Council (SGC). Therefore, the governments of the Union are:-
• National Board of Trustees (NBOT)
• National Executive Council (NEC)
• National Governing Council (NGC)
• National Delegates Conference (NDC)
This arrangement reflects same in the State. The administrative organa of the Union are:-
• National Board of trustees
• National Secretariat
• Zonal Councils
• State Board of Trustees including Abuja/Lagos
• Federal Council
• Branches, Co-coordinating Committees.
The first Quadrennial National Delegates Conference of Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) took place in Jos the Plateau State capital in the year 2000 with the theme “RE:- ORIENTED AND RESPONSIVE PUBLIC SERVICES EMBEDDED IN JOB SECURITY FAIR WAGES AND SUSTAINABLE DEMOCRACY” on 27th and 28th April 2000.
Conference resolved that State Councils were place under the Zones that
were created to coordinate the activities of the State Councils, the Zones were according to their State geographical spread the Zones were run by an executive like that of the National and State Councils. The following leaders emerge at the Conference of (2000-2004)
1. Com. M A. Amaike National President
2. Com. M.T. Salami National Deputy President
3. Com. E. Ajoku National Treasurer
4. Com. Musa Ukpo Vice President/ Chairperson Central Zone
5. Com. M.A. Maishanu Vice President/ Chairperson Western Zone
6. Com. S.I. Williams National Vice President/Chairperson Western Zone
7. Com. A. Sadiq Nat. Vice /President/Chairperson North-Eastern Zone
8. Com. Morgan Adiele National Vice President/Chairperson Federal Zone
9. Com. Zira Njidda National Treasurer
10. Com. D.M. Abele National Secretary Finance
11. Com. F. Anyikwa Internal Auditor
12. Com. Mrs C.A. Onyeka Chairperson Women Commission
13. Com. S.O.Z. Ejiofoh General Secretary
14. Com. P.E. Agbonkonkon Principal Deputy General Secretary
15. Com. G.E. Ibeawuchi Principal Deputy General Secretary
16. Com. C.A. Ajayii Deputy General Secretary
17. Com. Isiaka Ibrahim Deputy General Secretary
Challenges of Merger of the Three Unions
The challenges at that period was that of acceptance of the three Unions in terms of Leadership after series of consultations and discussion, Comrade D.A. Adekola became the President from National Union of Public Corporation Employees (NUPCE) at the merger Conference, Comrade Ejiofoh the General Secretary from Civil Service Technical Workers Union of Nigeria (CSWUN) while Comrade P.E. Agbonkonkon was assigned to Head the Department of Administration/Finance who came from Recreational Services Employees Union Nigeria, Comrade C.A. Ajayi of NUPCE became the Head of Department of Education while Comrade G.C. ibeawuchi Head of Departments of Industrial Relations and Organization assisted by Comrade Alhaji Isiaka Ibrahim.
The Secretariat of the New Union remains at No 9 Aje Street Sabo, Yaba-Lagos former Secretariat of Civil Service technical Workers Union of Nigeria ( CSWUN) with State Councils Secretariat in all the State Capitals of the Country and Federal Capital Territory Abuja.
The third 2004-2008 Triennial National delegates Conference of AUPCTRE took place in Enugu, Enugu State Capital. The Conference has a theme………………………………… on…………………… the following emerges as Leaders of the Union:
1. Com. Iliya Iboyi National President
2. Com. Emma Ajoku National Deputy President
3. Com. Morgan Adiele National Vice President/Chairperson Federal Zone
4. Com. G.O Eze National Vice President/Chairperson Eastern Zone
5. Com. M.K. Adeti National Vice President/Chairperson Western Zone
6. Com. Yemi Oyeleye National Vice President/Chairperson Central Zone
7. Com. H.A. Yauri Nat. Vice /President/Chairperson North-WestZone
8. Com. B.A. Sadiq Vice President/Chairperson North-East Zone
9. Com. Zira Njidda National Treasusrer
10. Com. D.M. Abele National Secretary Finance
11. Com. F. Anyikwa National Internal Auditor
12. Com. I.J. Akpan National Ex-Officio Member
13. Com. Stella Peters Chairperson National Women Commission
14. Com. S.O.Z. Ejiofoh General Secretary
15. Com. P.E. Agbonkonkon Principal Deputy General Secretary
16. Com. G.E. Ibeawuchi Principal Deputy General Secretary
17. Com. C.A. Ajayii Senior Deputy General Secretary
18. Com. Isiaka Ibrahim Senior Deputy General Secretary
After about one year in office, the National President Comrade Liya Iboyi died on…………… after a brief illness. As a result, Comrade Emmanuel Ajoku who was the Deputy President stepped in as acting National President and was confirmed as Substantive President by the National Governing Council (NGC) in Owerri Imo State to be assisted by Comrade Abubakar Sadiq as deputy President. This lead to change of position in the Eastern Zone and North –East Zone Council of the Union.
In the 4th Quadrennial Delegates Conference (2008-2012) which took place in Benin, the Edo State Capital after a ………… contest between Comrade Abubakar Sadiq and Comrade Emmanuel Ajoku where Comrade Emmanuel Ajoku emerges victories with the following as leaders:
1. Com. Emma Ajoku National President
2. Com. Yemi Oyeleye National Deputy President
3. Com. B. Umar National Deputy President
4. Com. G.O. Eze Vice President/ Chairperson Eastern Zone
5. Com. Fadipe Vice President/ Chairperson Western Zone
6. Com. Zira Njidda National Vice President/Chairperson Federal Zone
7. Com. Aminu Yusuf Nat. Vice /President/Chairperson Central Zone
8. Com. Hashimu Gital National Vice President/Chairperson North-East Zone
9. Com. A. Bungudu National Vice President/Chairperson North-West Zone
10. Com. D.M. Abele National Treasurer
11. Com. B. Anthony National Secretary Finance
12. Com. I.A. Adelakun National Internal Auditor
13. Com. Daudu Buba National Internal Auditor
14. Com. H.A. Yawuri National Ex-Officio
15. Com. Emma Ademokun National Ex-Officio
16. Com. S.O.Z. Ejiofoh General Secretary
17. Com. P.E. Agbonkonkon Principal Deputy General Secretary
18. Com. G.E. Ibeawuchi Principal Deputy General Secretary
19. Com. C.A. Ajayi Senior Deputy General Secretary
The 5th Quadrennial Delegates Conference (2012-2017) of AUPCTRE took place in Port-Harcourt the River State Capital, there was contest in some position including that of the President between Comrade Aminu Yusuf and the current National President, Comrade Solomon Adelegan who emerges winner at the Conference with the following team as members of the leadership of the Union:-
1. Comrade Solomon Adelegan National President
2. Comrade H.M Gital National Deputy President
3. Comrade C. Elibe National Deputy President
4. Comrade Aliu Salihu National Treasurer
5. Comrade Bose Oise National Sec. Finance
6. Com Evans Olunwa National Vice President/Chairman Eastern Zone
7. Com. E. Ademokun National Vice President/Chairman Western Zone
8. Com. James Odaudu National Vice President/Chairman South-South Zone
9. Com. M. Gulani National Vice President/Chairman North-East Zone
10. Com. S. Mohammed National Vice President/Chairman North-West Zone
11. Com. Stephen Mbom National Vice President/Chairman Eastern Zone
12. Com. I.A. Abubakar Zonal Secretary, North-Central Zonal Council
13. Com. Tanko Amila Former Zonal Secretary, North-Eastern Zonal Council
14. Com. Kwanchi W.H.Y. Acting Zonal Secretary, North-Eastern Zonal Council
15. Com. Wole Akinlolu Zonal Secretary, Western Zonal Council
16. Com. M.M. Bello Zonal Secretary, North-Western Zonal Council
17. Com. G.O Eze Zonal Secretary, Eastern Zonal Council
18. Com. W. Sikiru Former Zonal Secretary, Federal Zonal Council
19. Com. Remi Adediji Current Zonal Secretary, Federal Zonal Council
20. Com. J. Adekeye Zonal Secretary, South-South Zonal Council
21. Com. M.A. Subair Zonal Chairman, Western Zonal Council
22. Com. C. Odili Chairperson Eastern Zone
23. Com. Mercy Okezie Chairperson National Women Commission
24. Com. Hope Eyedo National Internal Auditor
25. Com. G. Owhabele National Ex-Officio
26. Com. A. Bungudu National Ex-Officio
27. Com. B. Akobo National Ex-Officio
28. Com. Yusuf Buba National Ex-Officio
29. Com. A. Onyejiuwa National Ex-Officio
30. Com. Y.L. Zambuk General Secretary
31. Comrade R. Imade H.O.D Admin/Inter. Relations
32. Comrade Musa Ukpo H.O.D Education & Gender
33. Comrade C.N. Nwaorie HOD Finance
34. Comrade J.C. Kobah HOD Public Relations.
35. Comrade Ayeoribe, E.A. H.O.D Industrial Relation
36. Comrade L.I. Alo H.O.D Organizing
37. Com. Aliyu Mohammed Deputy HOD Public Relations