The Nation Newspaper

Category: Labour

  • ITF trains 14m youths

    ITF trains 14m youths

    The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has trained over 14 million Nigerians whose contributions to the overall growth of the country are immeasurable, its Acting Director- General, Mr. Dickson Onuoha, has said. Speaking with The Nation in Lagos, Onuoha said ITF, in the last few years, embarked on initiatives and strategies to equip Nigerians with skills for employability and entrepreneurship.

    He said: “Our renewed emphasis is premised on the fact that any credible effort at poverty eradication, job creation and an effective diversification of the economy as envisioned by the Federal Government will not meet with the required success if Nigerians are not trained.”

    ‘’In the last few months, especially with the coming of the incumbent management such efforts have been heightened.”

    Onuoha noted that as a foremost skills acquisition institution vested with the mandate of equipping Nigerians with skills, the management has commenced series of initiatives and strategies and expanded existing ones including setting in motion processes for the establishment of sector skills.

    He said the fund has established councils to provide opportunity for evaluation/ validation of skills requirements at national and state levels  periodically and expanded the technical skills development project.

    The project is a joint programme with the Nigerian Employers Consultative Association (NECA) to train 50 youths per centre through the Brown Field Model, using training centres of the organised private sector.

    Onuoha said the students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) that is managed by the ITF but funded by the Federal Government, has been instrumental to the development of human capital.

  • ‘Non-implementation of Pension Act, threat to workers’ future’

    The Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) has decried the failure of the Federal Government, states and local governments to implement the New Pension Act 2014 for workers. The union is urging all tiers of government to comply with the provisions of the act so that workers could have something to fall back on after retirement.

    Its General Secretary, Comrade Yusuf Lekke Zambuk, reiterated the union’s position at the 20th Plenary Session of the National Governing Council/AUPCTRE Week in Abuja.

    He regretted that the non-implementation of the New Pension Act 2014 has been posing a serious challenge to an average worker.

    Zambuk said the New Pension Act 2014, Part 11, Section 5, provided for a group Life Insurance Policy for each employee for a minimum of three times the total annual emolument of the employee. The premium is expected to be paid not later than the date of commencement of the cover.

    He, however, said as at date, neither the Federal Government, states nor local government has implemented this policy in favour of employees.

    He said: “It is surprising, however, that political office holders enjoy retirement benefits inclusive of medical, car, furniture among others, after serving their four-year tenure, but nothing is being said about serving public officials by the Federal Government, states and local governments.”

    However, the NGC-in-session has called onorganised labour, which is a Pan Nigerian Organisation and a defender of democratic values, to unite and rise up to effectively engage the political class to ensure that the dividends of democracy are not lost,” he said.

    In a related event, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige,  has said  the Federal Government will comply fully with section 173 (3) of the Constitution  that makes review of pension compulsory every five years or at any increment of salaries.

    Ngige gave this assurance when the leaders of the Association of Contributory Pensioners of Nigeria (ACPN) visited him in Abuja on Monday.

    He said: “The constitution is clear in section 173(3) on how pension should be administered. It is to be reviewed every five years or upon an increment in salary.

    A review was done in 2011 on minimum wage, and once the minimum wage is touched, it should automatically affect the pension”Serving the nation, nobody should discriminate against you. I don’t understand why in the same country some pensioners are receiving full benefits while others are not.

    This is unconstitutional.”The minister regretted the ordeal of the contributory pensioners and promised to urgently institute an appropriate liaison with Pension Commission (PENCOM) to rectify observed operational anomalies relating to the group so as to ensure that their benefits were fully paid.

    He added that pension matters by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 102 should be under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, assuring that the pensioners would not be abandoned by the federal government.

    He further said the existing Pension Act made it difficult to register two separate unions under pension as requested by the contributory pensioners.

    Earlier in his address, the Chairman of the association, Mr. Uche Ekpo, lamented the non-representation of the Contributory Pensioners by an organised union, insisting that what the Trade Union Registrar cited as reason for denying it registration covered only the non-contributory pensioners. He, therefore, sought the assistance of the minister for the registration of the body as a trade union so as to better articulate and push the interests of the members of the union.

  • TUC: Nigerians are suffering

    TUC: Nigerians are suffering

    The  economy is in bad shape and Nigerians are suffering, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has said.

    At a conference in Abuja, its President, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, said the nation was  stagnating amid slow economic growth, high unemployment and rising prices.

    “The country’s currency, the naira, is in a free fall. There is insecurity posed by Boko Haram insurgents, problem of herdsmen and Niger Delta militants, and a host of other ills bedevilling the country.

    “In spite of all these challenges, however, we cannot afford to give up the struggle. But I see hope coupled with signals of a brighter future for our unborn generations.We will surely get there,” Kaigama said.

    He also said his union had set up a $1b Economic Development Fund for the actualisation of its Economic Development Plan.

    He said the fund would provide additional income streams for its members and affiliates and also provide loans for those still in service and after service.”

    “This fund will be used to make strategic investments into the different sectors of the economy.

    “Part of this fund will be set aside to provide loans and the required technical assistance for our members to set up and run bankable businesses when they retire from service,” Kaigama said.”

    “Through this plan, the TUC will mobilise resources from its members, affiliates, partners and other investors to invest in a number critical assets across different sectors of the economy,” he said.

  • NLC praises govt on recovered loot

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has praised the government for giving a transparent account of recovered funds.

    Its President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, in a press statement, said the quantum of recoveries vindicated labour’s support for the fight against corruption, and its insistence on more stringent punishment for offenders.

    It has also exposed the extent of rot in the system and why virtually everything in the polity failed to work.

    ‘’We recall that in our national rally against corruption, we had made the point that we must look at the bigger picture of national recovery by ensuring that recovered funds are deployed to critical infrastructure such as roads, power, key industries and other sectors capable of stimulating the economy,” Wabba said.

    “NLC finds it necessary to, once again, urge the government to deploy recovered funds to key infrastructure or sectors.

    He urged the government not to relent in its recovery drive and fight against corruption, as information has revealed that the recovered funds are just the tip of the iceberg.

    ‘’We at the NLC believe the importance of the fight against corruption cannot be overstated for a couple of reasons. Certainly, we as a people cannot continue to live like this, except we want to be the laughing stock of the rest of the world.

    ‘’Similarly, our teeming youth and the army of the unemployed who look on to their country for their means of livelihood will not fold their hands while a few privileged individuals corner the national resources.

    ‘’We believe that for the war against corruption to endure, we as a people must be firm and resolute in our support for good governance and fight against corruption’’, Wabba said.

    He stated that the nation must entrench the culture of accountability, ensuring that public officers are accountable even out of office.

    He said to further strengthen the anti-corruption agencies, labour calls for the establishment of special courts to try corruption cases, adding that the judiciary has a big role to play by ensuring timely and speedy disposal of corruption cases. 

  • Oyo/NLC face off: Govt invites labour unions to stakeholders meeting

    Oyo/NLC face off: Govt invites labour unions to stakeholders meeting

    Despite the wanton destruction of properties that had characterised the protest embark upon by students of public schools in Oyo State on Monday, the Oyo State government has extended a hand of fellowship to the labour movement in the state by inviting their representatives to a stakeholders meeting scheduled to hold today, June 7, 2016 to discuss  the proposed partnership with some stakeholders in the management of some schools in the state.

    The Secretary to the State Government, Ismail Olalekan Alli who stated this while briefing journalist in Ibadan, insisted that government does not intend to cede or sell off schools to private individuals, but was determined to improve the quality of education in the state.

    Alli who promised that the state government will nourish it’s existing relationship with the workforce, charge the labour movement to partner with the state government and desist from their presence stance which may cause disorder in the public.

    “The Education stakeholders forum will still hold at the House of Chiefs, Secretariat, today. Government wil guarantees the safety of all attendees for the meeting. Governor Ajimobi will lead the government delegation to the venue of the meeting. The forum will allow government to view stakeholders opinion and review some. We have invited all relevant stakeholders including the labour leaders.” he said

    Alli described the indefinite strike declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), in the state as ‘ a figment of the imagination of those who called it’.

    He noted that no strike notice was issued to the government, adding that the government was not expecting any strike by the workforce because they do not have any dispute or negotiation with them.

  • TUC to acquire 57% stake in Unity Bank

    TUC to acquire 57% stake in Unity Bank

    The Trade Union Congress (TUC) is to acquire 57 percent stake  in the Unity Bank.  This is to ensure the welfare of its members and to reposition the union, its President, Bobboi Bala Kaigama has said.

    Kaigama disclosed this in his welcome address at the ongoing 10th Triennial National Delegates Conference in Abuja yesterday.

    He assured that his members would not suffer after retirement, promising that they would  enjoy the fruits of their labour.

    His words:“Through the TUC economy, we are on the verge of acquiring major shareholding in Unity Bank Plc. We have a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the management and the process is on. We will tag it as Nigerian workers’ bank and will let Nigerians know that we have a bank in place. To build a better Nigeria, we in TUC shall move from just being spectators in the Nigerian economy to becoming investors in the Nigerian economy. We can no longer afford to sit on the sidelines and watch helplessly for others to decide our future and the future of our families. We must take our future into our hands. To achieve this, join me in building the TUC economy.

    “We believe that through this innovative and bold move by TUC, we see a Nigeria where productive enterprise flourishes in an atmosphere of mutually beneficial industrial harmony and cohesion between the government, private employers and labour. We shall see a Nigeria where unions are better respected not just for their representation of the masses but also for their economic might and prowess; and their partnering with government to ensure rapid development of the nation.”

    He argued that the step is to ensure TUC becomes part of building a country that is devoid of injustice, a country that creates and ensures job security, refrain from money laundering and corrupt practices. “A country that recognises the market men, women and peasant, funds education, builds and upgrade infrastructure and the health sector on a regular basis,” he said.

  • ‘Labour leaders’ feud not in workers’ interest’

    ‘Labour leaders’ feud not in workers’ interest’

    Feuding labour leaders have been asked to sheathe their swords and be united to fight a common cause.

    Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) Secretary-General Isa Aremu said the labour leaders’ squabble was doing unionism no good.

    Unless they close ranks and work together, the oppressors of workers would continue to have their way, Aremu said.

    Speaking with The Nation, he called for a truce among industrial unions affiliated to Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

    Lamenting the failure of unions to take a unanimous decision on the fuel price hike, Aremu urged them to work together as comrades and not as enemies in the interest of workers.

    “We regret that as we point two  fingers at bad governance and bad employers, the remaining three fingers point at us too, who are unacceptably divided against ourselves rather than united against a common class enemy.

    “It’s time we closed ranks to ensure we have a labour movement that commands the confidence of workers; trusted by the public, respected by the government and employers,” he said.

    Aremu urged unions to learn from the fall out of the fuel price hike and unite for a vibrant labour movement.

    He said: “If we operate separately, we will be defeated separately. But if we operate in unity, we will triumph as one. The recent 70 per cent fuel increase is indiscriminate in its price impact on transport cost and cost of living in general. The response of organised labour must, therefore, be inclusive and uniform, not disjointed as we recently witnessed.

    “The worsening poverty, rising inflation, job losses and bad governance must task our imaginations as labour leaders to work as one, instead of seeking positions for recognitions from governments and employers that do not deliver tangible results for the working men and women.”

  • Govt sets up 16-man panel on fuel price palliatives

    Govt sets up 16-man panel on fuel price palliatives

    The sixteen-man Technical Committee for the implementation of the palliatives to cushion the effects of the hike in fuel price has been constituted.

    In a release from the Ministry of Labour and Empoyment, the committee, which will be chaired by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige (OON), has the representative of the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Prof. Adamu K. Usman as Secretary.

    Other members  includ Minister of State, Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, Minister of Budget and Planning Sen. Udo Udoma, Minister of Finance Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, Minister of Solid Minerals Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the Chairman of National Salaries and Wages Commission, Chief R.O Egbule and the representative of the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation.

    The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) will be represented by Comrade Peter Adeyemi, Comrade Amaechi Asugwuni, Comrade Ibrahim Khaleel, Comrade Igwe Achese and Comrade Abdullahi Sale.

    Similarly, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) will be represented by Comrade Augustine Etafo, Comrade Alade Bashir Lawal and Comrade Abdullahi Sale.

    The committee was inaugurated yesterday at the Conference Hall of the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

  • Trade dispute: workers urge govt to intervene

    Organised labour has urged the Federal Government to prevail upon, Game Discount World Nigeria Limited, to comply with a court judgment that mandated workers to be unionised in its Nigeria offices.

    The firm is a subsidiary of MASS Discounters whose head office is in South Africa.

    The workers, under the auspices of Shop and Distributive Trade Senior Staff Association (SHOPDIS), said despite two judgments from the Industrial Arbitration Panel (IAP) and National Industrial Court (NIC), Abuja, to allow unionism, the management of the company has restrained workers from joining their unions.

    This, according to the association, is an infringement on their rights.

    Speaking with newsmen in Lagos, the General Secretary of SHOPDIS, Comrade Ola Oyegoke, decried the union’s ordeal. He said since 2010 when the association met to give the workers a platform for collective bargaining as a basis for regulating their condition of service, the management had shown that it has no respect for Nigeria’s laws.

    Oyegoke said SHOPDIS, in 2014, got an award over a trade dispute declared against Game management on the non-recognition of the union as a representative of the senior staff of the company who have signed membership authorisation forms, which were forwarded to the management since April 2010.

    “Though the management appealed against the judgment, the NIC in its ruling by Justice Isele in November last year, upheld the IAP award,” Oyegoke said.

    He said upon the NIC judgment in November last year, the union wrote the management of its plan to inaugurate the branch, but Game in a letter from its parent body and signed by Blake Walker, Legal Specialist: Africa Mass Discounters, replied the union that it could not permit the formal inauguration.

    Oyegoke said it was a ploy by the management to continue to enslave its members. He charged the Minister of Labour, Senator Chris Ngige to wade into the matter, as it believes in peaceful resolution rather than confrontation.

  • 10 months’ unpaid salaries: Kwara workers begin strike

    The Committee of Unions of Tertiary Institutions (CUTI) comprising COLAASU, SSUCOEN and NASU Kwara State College of Arabic and Islamic Legal Studies (CAILS) chapter has condemned the neglect of workers of its institutions by the state government.

    The association said since the state government had refused to fulfill its part of the agreement reached following the four months strike, they decided to embark on an indefinite strike until their salary arrears were cleared.

    A statement from the group signed by its chairman, Comrade Mohammed Umar Faruq, and its secretary, Comrade Usman K Ali, said: “Sequel to the suspension of the four month strike action by CUTI on 18th February, 2016 following the intervention by stakeholders and the acceptance of responsibility by the state government to pay salary arrears according to the management, the staff are still being owed from August, 2015 till date.

    “We have over time endured non-implementation of annual increments, non-monetisation of 2013 promotion, non-implementation of 2014 and 2015 promotions and non-implementation of 2013 migration of concerned staff.

    “Our members can no longer withstand the predicament caused by the above situations. In view of the above at the congress held last week Wednesday, it was resolved that the management must effect all the above prayers on or before Friday, particularly payment of 10 months outstanding salaries or be left with no option from the staff than to immediately resume the suspended strike action”, the statement read

    Meanwhile, the workers of the Kwara State College of Education, Oro have also begun an indefinite strike over unpaid eight months salary arrears.