The national leadership of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, has explained why it boycotted the industrial action embarked upon by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC.

Speaking yesterday in Abuja, the TUC President, Comrade Kiagama Bobboi explained that TUC pulled out of the strike because NLC only wanted the Federal Government to reverse the new pump price when there were other contending issues.

According to Bobboi, NLC took the stance during a negotiation meeting with the Federal Government.

He said, “At this meeting, we drew attention of our NLC colleagues that there was no reason we should be persistent about one position…lets proffer alternative positions but they insisted there is not alternative position except the government brings back the price to N86.

“Then we asked, is that your only position and you are not changing to any other alternative? And they said yes. And the TUC said we were given a first and alternative mandate by our executive, and this is our alternative. Then we asked them to see reason with our own alternative but they said no. That was where disagreement entered.

“So I want Nigerians to use their sense of judgement and reason if you were in our shoes, the position you would have taken? It is important that in terms of taking decision that will affect the masses, one does not take a fanatical position and eventually mislead people.”