The organized labour has asked
workers to fully mobilize for a prolonged national strike.
The labour Union came to this
conclusion due to the inability of the government to commence the process of
implementing the N30,000 new minimum wage.
The decision also came against
the backdrop of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, rejection of the proposed new
minimum wage of N30,000.
The organized labour conveyed its
position in a New Year message by the President of Nigeria Labour Congress,
NLC, Ayuba Wabba.
The lengthy statement reads,
“Government’s dilly-dallying on the issue has strained government-labour
relations with a potential for a major national strike which could just be days
away.
“Accordingly, we would use this
opportunity to appeal to the government to do the needful by urgently
transmitting the bill on the new national minimum wage to the National
Assembly.
”We also would like to use this
opportunity to urge workers to fully mobilize for a prolonged national strike
and enforce their right.
“This strike becomes the
inevitable last option for us and we crave the understanding and support of all
Nigerians and businesses.
“We would want to assure workers
that their labour, patience and diligence will not be in vain and that this
leadership remains committed to giving all it takes to ensure that they get
just and fair wages due to them in a decent work environment appropriate to
their well-being.
“This leadership is similarly
committed to ensuring there is social protection for workers.
“In the year that is ahead of us,
the Nigeria Labour Congress remains unequivocally committed to national and
workers’ goals.
“It saluted the contribution and
sacrifice of the entire workforce, great men and women, saying:
“We use this occasion to reach
out to all workers, pensioners and other citizens in Nigeria and elsewhere with
the message of love, joy, hope and goodwill.
“This day is an opportunity for
celebration and stock-taking. Pursuant to this, our reflections on the year
2018 are both positive and negative.
“Throughout 2018, the NLC
completely invested in the struggle to protect workers interests, promote
democratic values, advocate the rule of law and defend human cum trade union
rights. We sustained our fight against anti-labour practices at the work place
and insisted on the observance of the rules of decent work and fair wages.
“We kicked against the rising
incidence of unemployment, especially, youth unemployment and the danger it
portends. We canvassed the preservation of existing jobs and creation of new
sustainable ones through alternative policy options with potential for expanding
the economy.
“Aside from the regular
commemoration of May Day, the year was remarkable and memorable for the
observance and celebration of Congress’ 40th anniversary. Many of our
affiliates were to follow suit.
“One of the major activities in
the year was the renewed strengthening of our relationship with our civil
society allies through regular collaboration and mutual engagement.
“Congress remained vigilant and
responsive to national issues as they unfolded and frequently made its position
known through press statements, comments, communiques, state of the nation
comments, etc which relatively influenced policy and legislation.
“Congress, for instance, always
condemned prevalent violence in some parts of the country and called on
government to bring this to an end. “Congress sustained its robust engagement
with the National Assembly, especially on issues of concern to Labour or great
national importance.
“At the international level, the
year remains one of the most remarkable through deepened interactions,
engagements, programmes and activities, culminating in the election of the
President of the Congress to the headship of ITUC Global.
“In spite of these relative
successes, the year remains one of the most traumatic for workers, especially
given the failure of government to enact and implement the new national minimum
wage of N30,000.
“This is in spite of the
unimpeachable tripartite process leading to the agreement by the social
partners on the new national minimum wage. It is unfortunate that the Federal
Government is yet to transmit to the National Assembly an executive bill for
the enactment of N30,000 as the new national minimum wage.’’
On campaign for
industrialization, labour said: “We will work assiduously to promote and
advocate the removal of all barriers to industrialization, growth and
productivity. We should be able to build a country where we produce what we
consume.
“We cannot continue to export
precious jobs away to other countries through successive poor policy choices of
government and expect to change our unfortunate status as the poverty capital
of the world.
“In 2018, government at different
levels in Nigeria tried to use the “No Work… No Pay” to hound and victimize
workers. This policy actually arises from clear violation of Collective
Bargaining Agreement by the same government that seeks to use the policy
against workers.
“The fact is that the obnoxious
policy of “No Work… No Pay” is derived from Decree 54 of 1977 which even
military regimes that promulgated it refrained from deploying against workers.
It is unfortunate that such cruel policy is being used against workers by a
democratic government.
“There is no place in modern
industrial relations for workers to be owed arrears of salaries. A case in hand
is the recent shutdown of the government of the United States owing to
disagreements between the executive and the legislative arms of government over
budget issues.
“Most workers whose salaries were
affected by the budget impasse were asked to proceed on leave until government
is able to pay their salaries.
“In worker-sensitive climes, even
our West African neighbours, it is unthinkable that workers would go home in a
month without their salaries. We have tolerated this evil culture of prolonged
salary indebtedness for a long time and government has taken advantage of our
patience to extend the frontiers of this impunity to the policy dump site of
“No Work… No Pay”.
“The Nigeria Labour Congress will
continue to resist such unjust, draconian and insensitive policy and insist
that workers’ salaries, pension and gratuity must be paid as when due.
”In furtherance to this, the
Nigeria Labour Congress will intensify the struggle for regular, predictable
and appropriate payment of salaries, pension and gratuity. This struggle will
continue to be our topmost priority.
“In 2018 and the years preceding
it, we demonstrated our commitment in this regard with rallies in defaulting
states. We also demanded the probe of governors of such states.
“We went further to call on the
federal government to make subsequent release of further bail-out funds or
Paris Club refund contingent on clear evidence of judicious use (for payment of
salaries, pensions and gratuities) of previous releases. We will continue to
insist on accountability.
“Furthermore, the NLC will
continue to promote worker-education and mobilization through Congress
education programmes and other union training programmes. These activities
would be religiously held with the objective of positive impact on workers.
“Therefore, we urge government at
all levels to consider workers as assets and partners in development rather
than liabilities.”
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