Labour unions held a two-day warning strike on September 5 and 6, meant to press dwelling their calls for upon the federal authorities, arising from the National Executive Council assembly of the Nigerian Labour Congress held in Abuja on August 31, 2023.

The points raised by the NLC for this warning strike embody the necessity for the federal government to measure up on the distribution of palliatives to cushion the impact of subsidy elimination, restore and activation of native refineries, spiraling inflation and worsening financial situations. People typically look as much as labour to tackle the federal government on many points that have an effect on them, given that almost all financial insurance policies of the federal government bear direct impression upon staff, particularly these within the decrease cadre.

I’m involved and I consider a great variety of different Nigerians are, with the fixed declarations of the NLC in respect of strike actions that appear to result in nowhere.
 
According to Wikipedia, the Nigerian Labour Congress was based in December 1978, as a merger of 4 totally different organisations: the Nigeria Trade Union Congress (NTUC), Labour Unity Front (LUF), United Labour Congress (ULC) and Nigeria Workers’ Council (NWC). However, the recently-established Federal Military Government, led by Murtala Mohammed, refused to recognise the brand new organisation, and as a substitute arrange the Adebiyi Tribunal to analyze the actions of commerce unions and their leaders.

The Tribunal reported in 1976 and claimed that every one the prevailing commerce union centres propagated Cold War ideologies, trusted funding from worldwide union federations, and mismanaged funds. This was used as a justification to ban all 4 centres, with M. O. Abiodun appointed because the administrator of commerce unions.

He accepted the institution of a brand new Nigeria Labour Congress, on the situation that the roughly 1,500 affiliated unions have been restructured into 42 industrial unions, plus 19 unions representing senior employees. In 1978, the Nigeria Labour Congress was established, with the 42 industrial unions affiliated. It was to be the one authorized commerce union federation.

Its management included most of the main figures from its 4 predecessors, with Wahab Goodluck changing into its founding president.
In its personal web site, the NLC states its goals and aims to be that of selling the proper to work and inspiring first rate employment alternatives for all Nigerian staff. In common, labour represents the soul of the plenty of any nation, being the biggest firm of staff.

The goals and aims of the NLC are to guard, defend, and promote the rights, wellbeing and the pursuits of all staff, pensioners, the commerce unions and the working class on the whole; and in addition to advertise and defend a Nigerian nation that will be simply, democratic, clear and affluent, to advertise, defend and advance the financial, political and social rights and wellbeing of Nigerian staff and pensioners; to repeatedly improve the standard of life and enhance the revenue and different working situations of staff, to advertise and maintain the unity of Nigerian Trade Unions, guarantee complete unionisation of all staff regardless of their creed, state of origin, gender and political opinions; to work for the industrialisation and prosperity of the Nigerian nation and guarantee safety of jobs, full employment and a humane working setting; to repeatedly battle to affect public and company insurance policies and laws on all points in any respect ranges, within the curiosity of staff, deprived social teams and commerce unions; to print and publish literature for the aim of enhancing and reaching the goals and aims of Congress and its associates.

Many Nigerians maintain the view that labour has turn out to be a toothless bulldog that solely barks with out biting, given the latest experiences. On many events, a warning strike is issued and persons are mobilized and threatened to inventory their properties with foodstuffs because the strike might floor all actions throughout the land. These strikes by no means actually come to move, as more often than not on the eve of the strike, labour will name it off or postpone it or the federal government will acquire an order of court docket to ban it.

There is due to this fact the necessity for labour to redeem itself earlier than Nigerians to keep away from these seeming dramas and theatrics. Are strike actions meant to harass the federal government or impress the folks? What is the aim of strikes? I used to be disturbed seeing the images of labour leaders posing with the President over the past strike, with no concrete plans or targets outlined for motion, besides that they squandered the goodwill of the folks on the platter of presidential tete a tete. Which is why labour is again to the trenches so quickly. 
 
Strike actions shouldn’t be issues of business grandstanding, the place labour leaders elevate the identical points over once more. When labour is to go on strike, the entire nation needs to be on guard and the strike ought to transcend bread and butter points. Sufficient mobilization ought to have taken place as a way of teaching the folks on the aim and positive aspects of the proposed motion.

Fuel value improve impacts staff greater than another sector, so too the problem of fixed electrical energy tariff will increase. Workers should report for work each day, spending cash on public transport and allied bills, they should energy their properties with turbines given the epileptic nature of public energy provide. For many causes, labour unions are entitled to go on strike, if that’s the solely technique to get the eye of the federal government on the problems at stake.

Like I mentioned, I’m fearful, specifically that labour appears to have taken strike actions to be a type of carte blanche, to be deployed to handle each problem. A warrior doesn’t make the follow of capturing its finest arrows first and when that misses the goal, he’s then left with weak and substandard arrows that deal no blow upon impression.

The different level is the necessity for forensic analysis by labour on issues in regards to the financial system and common welfare of the folks. If native refineries will work in December 2023 as acknowledged by the federal government, labour is in the perfect place to inform us, if fighter jets have been purchased to fight terrorism, staff ought to inform us, whether or not there may be crude oil theft as we’ve been advised on numerous events, labour ought to know and the quantum of gas consumed by Nigerians every day, needs to be on the fingertips of labour. Thus, earlier than embarking upon any strike in any respect, the employees union ought to inform us the true state of electrical energy era, transmission and distribution in Nigeria.

Since what the federal government revels in is propaganda, labour needs to be an alternate supply of credible data in regards to the financial system, infrastructure, insecurity, and so on. This side of the sacred accountability of labour just isn’t being discharged successfully, thus leaving the folks on the mercy of the federal government.
 
I help labour and all its plans and actions to the hilt; this could by no means be unsure in any respect, however we’ve come to the stage once we should start to ask questions from labour. For occasion, what’s the effectiveness of its collaboration with civil society organisations? Why is it that these vital companions of labour aren’t inspired to prosecute protests and strike actions if and when labour turns into handicapped? And having shaped a political social gathering via which it canvassed for votes overtly, is there a difficulty of battle of pursuits on the a part of labour?

We have by no means had a scenario whereby the folks ever rejected labour, every time it requires a strike motion. On the opposite hand, what we’ve skilled is labour calling off its personal strikes abruptly upon the intervention of the identical govt arm of presidency with which labour has been dealing. It is both labour is prepared for a strike or it isn’t, however to proceed on this dilly dally trend of declaring strike actions within the media everytime might show to be a harmful path for labour to string. People are dropping confidence in all these warning strikes with out concrete actions or achievements.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities prosecuted a protracted strike motion purely on precept and their salaries have remained unpaid for thus many months. But I can sit right here and state that ought to the event come up at any time, ASUU won’t hesitate to go on strike once more, even on empty stomachs. A labour union that companions with the folks needs to be predictable in consistency and firmness of actions. The uncertainties surrounding labour strike actions go away a lot to be desired.
 
Another choice that labour ought to look into is approaching the courts to make use of regulation to prosecute a few of its struggles. Many points being raised by labour should do with non-compliance with extant legislations, agreements and insurance policies, by the federal government. It just isn’t misplaced as an illustration, for NLC to file an motion in court docket to cease additional increment within the value of petrol merchandise till the native refineries have been mounted and confirmed to be working. Labour mustn’t get to the purpose the place the folks turn out to be weary with fixed strikes with out concrete achievements.
Adegboruwa is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).