Anti-labour practices are rampant nowadays in Nigeria and
these practices by employers in their drive for profit maximization will soon
turn workplaces across the country into a battle field between workers and
business owners if feelers from labour movement are anything to go by. Casualisation,
outsourcing, contract staffing and other non-pensionable employment has become
the new norm. These are now fashionable practices in all private sectors of the
economy; manufacturing, construction, banking, telecommunication, petroleum as
well as many public sector establishments.
However, like-minded unions and associations affiliated with
the All Global Union Federation in Nigeria recently gathered to raise their
voice against unfair labour practices in Nigerian workplaces. Affiliates
included National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria,
NUTGTWN, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas, NUPENG, National Union of
Chemical, Footwear, Rubber, Leather and Non Metallic Product Employees,
NUCFRLANMPE, Petroleum and natural Gas Senior Staff Association, PENGASSAN, and
Chemical and Non Metallic Product Senior Staff Association, CANMPSSA.
Speaking at the event, Chairman of African Region of
Industrial Union, Comrade Issa Aremu, said jobs in Nigeria were no longer
secure as employers opt for short-term, flexible employment as part of
strategies to save cost and boost profit. He explained that these developments
informed the decision of affiliates of Industrial global union in the country
to use the occasion of the ILO’s decent work day to launch the “Stop Precarious
Work Campaign.” Low income, job insecurity, delayed payments of salaries and
pensions, long hours of work without overtime payment, denial of sick leave and
payment for sick leave, denial of annual and maternity leave, job insecurity,
lack of redundancy benefits, poor health and safety conditions and non-payment
of compensation for injuries sustained at work, poor working conditions, poor
motivation, lack of social protection, arbitrary deduction and non-remittance
of pension contributions and taxes, denial of rights to join the union and
bargain collectively are some of the effects of casualisation and other
unethical employment practices currently embraced by employers.”Aremu, also a
Vice-President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and General Secretary of
NUTGTWN, expressed concern over increasing disregard for the rule of law by
several private sector employers, lamenting that violation and open disregard
for the law is capable of creating an atmosphere of industrial anarchy and
chaos. Speaking on the violation of workers’ rights, Aremu insisted that
Nigerian labour laws in spite of the need for review still offer great
protection for working class people. He lamented that the progressive laws were
being violated with impunity by employers particularly in the private sector as
workers were denied the right to organize.
He asked employers of labour to respect the law and where
the law is observed in the breach, the Ministry of Labour and other agencies of
government should enforce the law. “To the millions of workers subjected to
inhuman and un-dignifying employment, we are determined to join forces to
embark on unbroken struggle to force recalcitrant employers to respect workers
right to join –
Read more at http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/11/workers-battle-employers-worsening-anti-labour-practices/#sthash.O1nYhDv0.dpuf
Change is on the horizon in Nigeria folks, very soon Nigerian
employees will no longer be able to treat workers with impunity knowing that
they can and they will get away with it. Proactive workforce planning and
setting up of organizational structures will become the new norm. if youd like
to sort your office out and don’t know how, send us an email at info@insitefulsolutionsconsult.com
and we will help you out
Ciao folks
I pray I can change the trend whenever I get a job or as I build an Entrepreneurial enterprise.
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