The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has rejected what it described as an attempt by the federal government to criminalise strike actions and undermine trade unions’ rights through the newly adopted National Industrial Relations Policy.
In a statement signed by its president, Comrade Joe Ajaero yesterday, labour condemned a press release issued by the federal government following the July 31 Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting which claimed that the policy was designed to curb frequent industrial actions.
The NLC described the statement as reprehensible and a betrayal of the fundamental rights of workers.
The congress further criticised what it termed the government’s strong-arm tactics in attempts to push through policy changes that had been previously rejected through tripartite dialogue involving trade unions, employers and the ministry of labour.
It recalled that attempts were made during the policy drafting to insert clauses criminalising strikes, a move it said was rejected by all social partners as inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution and the Trade Unions Act.
According to the NLC, any effort to erode the right of workers to withdraw their services is not only unconstitutional but also a violation of international labour standards to which Nigeria is a signatory.
The statement said, “We are in shock that from a catalogue of hundreds of workplace issues contained in the National Industrial Relations Policy, the federal government singled out industrial strikes as its headache. The unfortunate press statement exposes the mindset of those who were elected to protect the interests of the ordinary citizen, including workers.
“It appears to us that there are personalities in the corridors of power who want to enjoy the fruits of constitutional governance and, at the same time, reject the principles of constitutionality, the rule of law, and respect for international labour standards.
The right of a worker and trade unions to withdraw their services is fundamental and inalienable.
“That a government is celebrating the clandestine insertion of such a toxic clause in a National Industrial Relations Policy, which, anyway, is inferior to the Constitution and Trade Union Act, reveals the depth of mischief that some people in government can sink just to feed their fantasy on chains and whips.
“While the Nigeria Labour Congress and organised labour in Nigeria condemn and reject this new law in industrial relations in Nigeria, we assure Nigerian workers that the leadership of the Congress and the Labour Movement remain watchful on our mandate of protecting the rights, interests and hard-won industrial liberties”.
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