2017: Labour in perspective

Nigeria is currently facing its worst economic crisis in more than 20 years . This is caused by fall in the global prices of crude oil which is the mainstay of the economy. With the economic recession biting harder, economic activity remains weak with its multiplier effects of job losses, inability of governments at all […]

Nigeria is currently facing its worst economic crisis in more than 20 years . This is caused by fall in the global prices of crude oil which is the mainstay of the economy.

With the economic recession biting harder, economic activity remains weak with its multiplier effects of job losses, inability of governments at all levels to meet up with regular payment of salaries, wages and  pension. 

Organized labour had in 2016 severally engaged the three tiers of government -federal, states and local governments over the inability of most of them to address the issues of owed  workers’ salaries, pensions, promotions, and mass sack being witnessed  in private and public sector.

As we enter in to the year 2017, these issues will form the nucleus of labour agitations and demands. 

Already, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has  threatened to embark on a nationwide strike in May 2017,  if the Federal Government does not begin implementation of the N56,000 new national minimum wage it proposed. 

NLC  President  Ayuba Wabba last week  said that  the review of minimum wage  is long  overdue and as such the organized labour could  no longer    guarantee any industrial peace, if necessary steps are not taken by government  to resolve this issue before the next May Day workers celebration.

 He said that the NLC had sent formal notice of demand as required by law to government to try to constitute the committee. “Essentially, the committee to dialogue and negotiate the minimum wage which is supposed to be tripartite has not been set up. If it is set up, all of you will be aware of the membership and also their terms of reference and the timeline given to them to actually dispose with this sensitive issue. It is sensitive because workers have been subjected to a lot of difficulties because the purchasing power of ordinary Nigerian workers has been reduced to virtually nothing because of the inflation in the system, the free fall of the naira and to compound it with high cost of goods and services,” she said. 

In 2017, analysts are of the view that if the recession facing the country is not mitigated, strike actions and even street protests by labour will be a common sight across the country.

The protests will be mostly over unpaid salaries, wages and pension arrears. More so, protests and agitations  over undue retrenchments, casualisation and arbitrarily  disengagement of workers  from service due to inability  of employers  to meet up with employees payment would be issues to contend with it  in the year 2017, except the economic recession improves.

Of concern is the labour body  itself as it is presently divided against itself.  The battle for supremacy between Ayuba Wabba led NLC and the factional Joe Ajaero group has weakened  the labour as force to reckon with especially in engaging government on issues considered to be detrimental to the workers’ welfare.  

Just last week, factional leader of the congress Comrade Joe Ajaero who doubles as  the general secretary of NUEE, and Igwe Achese, president of NUPENG  announced the formation of  a parallel new labour centre called the United Labour Congress (ULC).

In a swift reaction, the NLC under the leadership of Ayuba Wabba, condemned and rejected the group. 

Wabba labeled the duo and their co- travelers as saboteurs and losers who are hell bent in taking over the leadership structure of the congress even after they were defeated at  the congress election.

Ajaero on his own part accused the leadership of NLC under Wabba of failing to adequately rise to the defense of workers in the face of political maladministration.  He is of the  belief that  formation of a new labour  structure will give the congress an impetus to take the government head on over anti-workers policies whenever it is necessary. 

Analysts are of the view that labour as house  divided against itself might  lack cohesion to engage government policies in 2017 except it mends the cracks in the  house.

Of memory is the split  in the failed national protest embarked upon by the organised labour  which saw the pulling out of  Trade Union Congress, a hitherto dependabe ally of NLC. This arguably led to the poor results of the protests.

And as the battle for supremacy rages on among the actors in the sector, a weakened opposition against government policies may likely be the order of the day in 2017.

 Of focus  in 2017,  is the fight against corruption, which has been  the strongest score card of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration. The NLC,  Trade Union  Congress (TUC) and their  civil society  allies last  year organized a mass  rally in support of the present administration’s fight  against corruption. However, the organized labour said the same way it supports the fight against corruption; same way it would  resist, if the government failed  to curb it in all ramifications. 

The Nigerian Union of Local Government Workers (NULGE) comprising of 746 local governments had been in struggle to get financial autonomy for local governments as dictated by the federal constitution  which the country is practising.  Even though most state governors refuse to let their various local government chairmen or sole administrators,  as the case may be, take charge of their allocations. They are gaining more sympathizers day by day  among the legislatures  and 2017 will  determine how far they could go in getting  control of their  allocations from the grip of state governors.

 There are also pending issues concerning increased electricity tariff, fuel price hike as well as outsourcing and casualisation of workers in the financial sector of which labour had been neck deep in finding a soft landing  for the workers. But as we rolled into 2017, actions and inactions of the federal government, believed to be the main driver of the nation’s` economy will be the determinant of where the pendulum swings.