The Nation Newspaper

Category: Labour

  • NULGE faults teachers’ stand on autonomy

    NULGE faults teachers’ stand on autonomy

    The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has faulted the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) for supporting calls for local government areas not to be given financial autonomy.

    NULGE President, Comrade Ibraheem Khaleel, in a briefing in his office in Abuja, said NUT has failed to do a thorough job on who to blame for teachers’ problems, stressing that the constitutional responsibility of the local government area is participatory.

    He said other tiers of government also contribute in paying primary school teachers and that both unions had agreed to send a proposal to the National Assembly for primary school teachers to be paid directly from the federation account so that the local government can use its funds to carry out its other functions when it gets full autonomy.

    His words: “But if teachers because of their fear for their salaries are now saying there must be no democracy in local government, then they are not doing justice to other sectors in the local government. We made several attempts to make the leadership of NUT understand and come to roundtable with NULGE with a view to fashion out ways to address the issue of primary school teachers as well as making local government functional.”

    The NULGE Chief also said the Union held meetings under the supervision of NLC’s leadership and that at some point they reached a consensus, which NULGE accommodated in its memos and all its submissions to government and the National Assembly to the effect that NULGE does not have any problem with making primary teachers’ salary first line charge.

    “So, if NUT is still hammering on the fact that local government system should be abandoned just because of their salary, in my opinion that is selfish. The truth is no democracy anywhere around the world can grow without a vibrant system of local government because the independence of each individual citizen lies in the independence of each local government,” he said.

  • NUBIFIE to govt: emphasise transparency

    The National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE) has urged the three tiers of governments on transparency and prudence in the New Year.

    General Secretary of the Union, Mallam Muhammed Sheikh, said in Lagos that only transparency and prudence in governance would make the common man enjoy the dividends of democracy.

    He urged governments at all levels to intensify efforts at reducing the plight of Nigerians by sacrificing some of the luxury of political office holders. “Oil still remains the main source of the nation’s economy, there should be transparency and prudency in the way funds are allocated and spent. I think the state and Federal Government should come up with measures to ensure transparency and prudence in oil proceeds,” he said.

    According to him, many Nigerians are still poor, struggling to make ends meet. Government should show commitment at reducing poverty in the land. He said efforts should be intensified to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor by creating wealth. He said the country has all the resources at its disposal to better the lots of its teeming population.

    Sheikh added that the government’s attention should be on how to block all revenue leakages in the sector. The NUBIFIE scribe said more jobs should be created to engage millions of Nigerian youths roaming the streets without job. Besides, he urged government to work hard at making its stewards more accountable.

  • PENGASSAN sets agenda for govt

    PENGASSAN sets agenda for govt

    The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), has urged the Federal Government to demonstrate commitment to stimulating local refining of crude oil this year. Its General Secretary, Mr. Bayo Olowoshile, who spoke in Lagos said only domestic refining would end the crises in the oil and gas sector.

    ”The key focus of the government in 2015 should be to stimulate local refining of petroleum and petrochemical products. Domestic gas production for energy, industry, agricultural and automotive purposes should be given ultimate attention this year,’’ Olowoshile said.

    The PENGASSAN scribe said the government should cut the rate of importation of products by 50 per cent. “Job creation and manpower utilisation should also be a priority of the government at such time like this when crime rate has increased. Many of our present challenges are tied to unemployment and government’s inability to channel the youthful strength of our young people into productive activities,’’ he said.

    Olowoshile said a slice in importation of products would not only stabilise the economy, but also create millions of jobs for unemployed youths in the country. He said importation of finished products into the country was a ‘canker worm’ that had left many Nigerians jobless.

    According to him, government should boost local capacity development and curb idleness in the country. Olowoshile urged government to halt capital flight in the New Year to save enough money for infrastructure and socio-economic development of the nation.

    The oil workers’ scribe urged the government to do everything possible to ensure the restoration of national peace and tranquility.

  • NUFBTE calls for sensitive leadership

    With barely a month to the general election, workers in the food sector of the economy have charged politicians aspiring to lead the country to be people focused in their programmes.

    Speaking at the Delegate Conference of the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) in Lagos, the National President of the National Union of Food Beverage and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE), Comrade Lateef Oyelekan, said workers would only cast their votes for candidates who would make life better for them. “I want to say here that we are not partisan and have no allegiance to any party, but we would only support any party that distinguishes itself as government of workers and anyone who will support workers to have food on their table,” he said.

    Oyelekan, who noted that the union with its business ventures in hotel, water factory, event centre and others, has supported the government in its employment generation by providing work for almost 100 Nigerians, lamented that government however, has not been supportive.

    He stated the union with its lean resources spends between N3million and N4millon every month to keep its businesses running. He said: “It is government that should solve the electricity problem; we have played our part and if we in our small capacity can be spending so much, I wonder how much the bigger players are spending.”

    He said there is no doubt that electricity holds the key to economic advancement of many Nigerians and the country as an entity. According to him, many who learned one trade or the other that relies on electricity and who should be doing well as entrepreneurs have all turned to motorcycle riders, popularly called Okada.

    He advised those in government to pursue either one or two agenda and ensure success in them rather than proliferation of projects without any success.

    He lamented that the present economic state of the country has further worsened the economic condition of workers whom he stated has become more impoverished and have always been at the receiving end.

    While calling on the management of NBC to reciprocate the good gesture of the union, having ensured that there was industrial harmony in the company, Oyelekan said it was expedient upon the management to help beef up the workers pay in the New Year. He said there was cordial relationship between the workers and the management.

    NBC’s Director, Human Resources, Mrs Grace Omolamayi, however commended the workers for their trust in the management, noting that the two see each other as partners and always believed in dialogue rather than other means of settlement.

    She said: “It’s good to have the trust of the workers and at NBC we always encourage our workers to come to the table to discuss and at the end we would iron out issues with both parties leaving satisfied.” She charged the workers to contribute positively to the advancement of the union and Nigeria as a nation.

  • Coal shortage looms as Indian workers strike

    Coal shortage looms as Indian workers strike

    In one of the biggest direct industrial protests in recent times, over 500 000 coal workers across India went on a five-day strike as negotiations failed.

    Trade union representative said talks between the unions and government lasted for several hours yesterday, with discussions taking place until midnight, but unions said that the government officials had nothing to offer to reverse the “denationalisation of the coal sector”.

    The government, in turn, said that the trade unions were “adamant” on their stand.

    “Negotiations at the secretary level have failed. But we are open for discussions at the political level either with the Prime Minister or the Coal Minister,” Indian National Mineworkers’ Federation secretary general S Q Zama said after the failed talks.

    “We did our best to arrive at a solution but the coal secretary has its own limitations and around 350 000 workers of Coal India Limited (CIL) commenced their strike today,” CIL chairperson Sutirtha Bhattacharya said.

    Significantly, yesterday was the second day at the office for Bhattacharya after he took charge as chairperson of CIL.

    Government estimated about 75 per cent of the country’s daily coal production of around 1.5-million tonnes was affected by the strike.

    The direct industrial actions, the biggest in the country since railway workers’ went on strike in 1977, was to protest the proposed restructuring of CIL, divestment of government equity holding in the largest mining company and trade unions’ apprehensions of “denationalisation of the Indian coal sector” through the government’s recent liberalisation of coal mining with the proposed permitting of private investors into the sector.

    The strike impacted production at major government-owned and -managed coal mining companies like Singareni Collieries Company Limited, Neyveli Liginte Company Limited, as well as CIL, with the latter accounting for over 80 per cent of domestic coal supplies.

    The strike was being supported by all major trade unions representing coal mine workers in the country including, Indian National Trade Union Congress, Centre for Indian Trade Unions, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), All India Trade Union Congress and Hind Mazdoor Sangh. Ironically, BMS was the labour arm of the Bharatiya Janata Party, which headed the current Indian federal government in New Delhi.

  • ‘Prioritise investment in youth devt’

    The Executive Director of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center (CISLAC), Auwal Musa Rafsanjani has urged the three tiers of government, the federal, state and local government, to target investment in skills development for the youths.

    He said it is the best option to enhance productivity in the labour market.

    Speaking on how the government could improve the lives of the most vulnerable in the country as a result of the slump in oil price in the international market, he said: “With the recent United Nations  (UN) Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) acceleration framework focusing on decent work and reducing maternal mortality,  we urge the three tiers of government to target investments in skills development of the youth population as the best option to enhance their productivity in the labour market. This is necessary because investment in skills development of the youth population will enhance their productivity in the labour market.”

    The CISLAC’s boss said considering the post-2015 development agenda, and the broad consensus that the current MDGs must not be sidelined, issues on poverty eradication should remain in focus by government.

    “For decent jobs to be created in both short and long run, it is more important for government to target improvements in secondary and tertiary education whilst incorporating practical and vocational skills,” he said.

    He noted that smart social policies such as programmes that help the unemployed find jobs or systems that provide social security to vulnerable members of the society cannot just be considered a cost.

    He said: “We must not be lulled into the notion that the crisis is over, and that no further action is required because the job queue is getting longer, and because on the surface, the Nigerian economy may appear to have regained some stability, but the real economy is still in troubled waters.”

  • TUC urges reduction of fuel pump price

    The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has called on the Federal Government to directs its appropriate agencies in the oil and gas sector to immediately lower the prices of petroleum products as it will ameliorate the sufferings of the masses.

    In a statement jointly signed by its President, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama and Secretary-General, Comrade Musa Lawal, the group called for immediate reversal of the pump prices of petroleum products, stressing that the devaluation of the naira has weakened the purchasing power of Nigerians.

    He said: “Congress expresses concern that government has refused to reduce the prices of petroleum products even though the price of crude oil has collapsed in the international market, which was the reason given when it wanted to increase the price of fuel in 2012. We urge government to direct the appropriate agencies to immediately adjust the prices of petroleum products as it will ameliorate the sufferings of the masses.”

    He said TUC has put government on notice that following naira devaluation, the Congress is going to ask for wage increase to cushion its effect on workers. He drew government’s attention to a number of issues plaguing employers/employees relationship to ensure a friendly working environment this year.

    TUC said: “Worried about the impunity of politicians and mismanagement of the fortunes of the oil and gas sector, the Congress laments the way and manner our politicians go about their politicking.

    “Our major concern is that what is predominant today is use of state’s coercive power, especially the police and resort to use of touts and idle youths to molest political opposition and journalists.”

    On local content policy, he said: “it has been observed that since the policy came into place in 2010, there has been no yardstick to measure progress made as we have also  observed that the entrepreneurs that are being empowered are compromising employment standards and flagrantly breaching workplace rights and decent work principles with intimidation and myriads of victimisation.”

  • ITF, OGFTZA sign MoU on vocational training

    The Director-General, Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Dr. Juliet Chukkas-Onaeko, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone Authority (OGFTZA), Onne, Port Harcourt in Abuja.

    The deal is for collection of contributions for capacity building.

    The ITF boss observed that the   country’s population is growing very fast, and that there was need to harness this potential.

    She said the shortage of technical and vocational skills is constraining enterprise development and restricting employment,

    “Evidence from developed and emerging economies show that requisite expertise constitute a key platform for attaining sustainable economic improvement, which could only be accomplished by a properly planned and implementable system of education and training. In spite of the different governments’ interventions, it is evident that the nation is nevertheless grappling with shortage of skills,” she said.

    She noted that Nigeria does not have the expertise, and that the ITF had proffered options that would address the weaknesses and bridge the capabilities without which it would be hard for Nigeria to  industrialise.

    The Managing Director of OGFTZA, Hon. Alabo Victor, said the free trade zones were designed to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to the oil and gas sector. He said the oil and gas free trade zones had been active and attracted main oil field operations.

    Hon. Victor pointed out that Onne Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone attracted more than 200 businesses operating in different statuses, ranging from oil service companies, projects, manufacturing and processing, banking and so on.

  • ‘Reform labour, industrial practice’

    The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has urged the Federal Government to reform industrial and labour relations practices in workplaces.

    Its Director-General, Mr. Olusegun Oshinowo, said the group is calling for the reform of industrial and labour relations practices in workplaces in the country because it had become imperative to strengthen labour and industrial harmony in the country in line with international best practices.

    He decried the practice where employers remit check-off dues from the employees’ salaries to the union, saying the development is not good for the workers.

    He also pointed out that there were no automatic check-off dues in the country before 1978 as it is practised now.

    Oshinowo lamented unionism in the nation’s oil and gas sector, saying the unions there act outside the context of the law to agitate for the demands of their members.

    On the recurring crisis between the Federal Government and varsity teachers, he blamed the former for hastily reaching agreements with the latter without exploring the possibility of meeting same.

    “The Federal Government should reach agreements with the Governing Councils of universities on the needs of university teachers rather than the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU),” he said.

  • 670m jobs in 15 years, says ILO

    The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has said over 670 million jobs are needed to be created over the next 15 years to keep up with the growth of the labour force and contain the spread of unemployment in the world

    ILO’s Special Representative to the United Nations (UN), Ms. Jane Stewart, who made this known while reviewing the implementation of the ILO’s progressive Global Jobs Pact, called on the international communities to combine decent work and inclusive growth into one goal in the  post 2015 development agenda

    “It makes good sense to combine decent work and inclusive growth into one goal to be inclusive and sustainable, economic growth must create decent jobs  as the ILO estimates that around 670 million jobs need to be created over the next 15 years to keep up with the growth of the labour force and contain the spread of unemployment,” she said.

    To achieve the goal of decent work for all, ILO called on the international community to, by 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.

    “To achieve this target, significant efforts will be needed to reduce large numbers of the working poor, to increase employment rates for women, youth and people with disabilities, to promote formalisation and close the gender pay gap,” she  said.

    Meanwhile, over seven million people from 194 countries who participated in MY World (the United Nations (UN) survey) have voted for better jobs opportunities, health care and education as the top three priorities for post-2015 development agenda.

    The MY World survey is the largest survey ever undertaken by the UN in its 70-year-old history. It has reached over seven million people all over the world, mostly young women and men.

    To celebrate this milestone, the UN released the report titled: “We the peoples.”