The President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba PHOTO:
President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Ayuba Wabba has alleged that the Nigerian authorities is plotting to proscribe the labour union.
Wabba informed the Committee on Application of Standard that the federal government has forwarded a new invoice to the National Assembly which can disorganize the nation’s industrial relations panorama.
As said by him, “A brand new model of the Collective Labour Relations Bill shouldn't be a product of session and largely completely different from the one we've made inputs to some years in the past. Strangely, this new model was to be surreptitiously handed into legislation, however for our vigilance and the candor of the parliament to undertake due diligence.
“Evidence of our claim that the intentions of the amendment were to undermine trade unions and unnecessarily distort our industrial relations landscape and temperature can be seen in one of the portions of this new bill which says ‘if after two years of commencement of the application of this Act, and the Nigeria Labour Congress has not amended her constitution to conform to this Act, it shall stand proscribed’.”
He also stated that “the mention of the name of our organization in a draft proposal for amendment betrayed the undisguised malicious intention of the amendment.”
The NLC President maintained that “interference in collective negotiation course of within the personal sector has been an explanation for fear to the Committee since 2009.
“The authorities continues to assert that sectorial collective bargaining settlement should have its blessing earlier than it turns into implementable in order that there isn't a ‘undue economic disruption’ and so it has benchmarks for wages. This clearly contradict Article four of this Convention for which the Committee has sharply pointed on this report being mentioned by this Conference Committee.
“The Collective Labour Relations Bill the Committee of Experts refers to began over 10 12 months in the past. Still, no finish in sight. Aside the method being very sluggish and delayed, the intention of presidency with respect to the assessment and amendments are giving us trigger for considerations.
“As against the advice of the Committee of experts to bring labour laws in conformity with the Convention, we can report that, sadly, this is not the case at present. Rather, the government is seeking to use the process to weaken and destroy trade unions and at the same time claiming to expand ‘freedom of association and volunteerism’.”