The Nation Newspaper

Category: Labour

  • Workers renew push for better deals

    Workers renew push for better deals Even with the new minimum wage which workers say will be enjoyed by about two per cent of the workforce in the country, stakeholders have appealed to the Federal Government to come up with policies that will enhance the welfare of workers, TOBA AGBOOLA reports

     

    ACCORDING to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), every worker should benefit from the minimum wage through sectoral negotiations that would be spearheaded by the unions and state councils. In principle, according to ILO, minimum wage should afford adequate protection to all workers in an employment, regardless of sex, age and even migrant workers, regardless of  contractual arrangements.

    It says further that minimum wages should also apply to workers in non-standard form of employment, including workers on fixedterm contracts and other forms of temporary work, temporary agency work and other contractual arrangements involving multiple parties, or part-time work.

    It is, however, a bad news for domestic workers such as househelps, gardeners and gatemen, who are not captured in the new wage structure, as the law also applies to employers that have over 25 workers on their payrolls.

    Of course, such domestic workers might still benefit if their employers have over 25 of them. Speaking with The Nation, President, Chemical and Non-Metallic Products Senior Staff Association of Nigeria(CANMPSSAN), Comrade Segun David, said the new minimum wage does not apply to his sector, as only two per cent of the workforce, which represents the civil servants, is expected to enjoy the new wage.

    He said the payment of the new wage in the private sector would not be easy, because, at the moment, there are firms that owe salaries and some pay in arrears.

    He, therefore, called on the federal and state governments to make workers welfare top priority in their efforts to promote good governance across the country.

    This, according to him can be achieved through good policy. He said the importance of workers to nation building could not be over-emphasised.

    David, who described workers as “the engine room of the economy” of any nation, said regular improvement of their welfare packages was necessary to enable them overcome economic hardships.

    He said: “The impact of the economy in the last one year on the workforce, the companies and generally the sector, is terrible.

    There are so many challenges and we have been trying to manage it. The prices of goods have significantly gone up and the salary is not increasing. “When we talk about the minimum wage, it does not have much impact on the entire

    workforce. For instance, only two per cent of the entire workforce will enjoy the minimum wage and that represents the civil servants. It has nothing to do with us in this sector.

    “The price of goods and services have gone up because of inflation and tax. And recently, the Federal Government announced another increase in value added tax (VAT).

    Just last month, many of our member companies have gone under. Some have to move out of the country. “ For instance, Cadbury now outsourced.

    The bulk of their products have been transferred to another company. The same thing with IBWA. The company has been shut down for close to two years now. The management is at large. No gratuity, pensions for the workers.

    These are some of the challenges. He said his union is making moves to collaborate with others in order to address the issue.

    “We are doing everything to collaborate with other unions because this is the only way we can address some of the issues affecting us.

    When you go together, you go far. We need to form a formidable force. You will discover that government is using divide and rule.

    This is what is happening in some unions. So, coming together is very important to be able to achieve results,” he said.

    Read Also: Governors restate commitment to minimum wage payment

     

    Former General Secretary of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade  Peter OzoEson, said all categories of workers are supposed to benefit from the new salary scale that would be done to reflect the new law.

    He said: “Labour always argue that once a new minimum wage law comes into effect, it has ripple effects on other categories of workers who are currently earning above the minimum wage because there is the need to maintain vertical relativity of the salary table, particularly for the federal and state government workers.

    Therefore, some adjustments on salary tables would need to be effected. “The issue of wage, generally, should be dealt with at the level of individual unions.

    Both the NLC and TUC lead the struggle for a fresh minimum wage, but the negotiation of how salaries are adjusted should take place at the level of industrial unions or state councils when dealing with governments. “In situations where the workers are not unionised, the minimum wage is a law that binds all employers.

    If there is no union in an establishment, it means there is no collective bargaining in determining wages, which poses some problems in which case, it is the prerogative of the employer to see what adjustments needed to be effected.

    “But ideally, labour believes that all establishment should be unionised, so that collective bargaining can take place in determining wage issues. Employers that employ less than 25 people are, however, exempted from the law.

    “The new law puts that exemption of employers who employ less than 25 people. This was part of what the tripartite committee recommended, that it should be removed, so that the law applies to everybody, including those that employ domestic workers.”

    Corroborating, the President , National Union of Chemical, Footwear, Rubber, leather and Non-Metallic Products Employees (NUCFRLANMPE), Mr Goke Olatunji, said the  private sector might find it difficult to implement the new wage because they are capitalist in nature.

    He said workers are expecting total compliance with the new minimum wage law, arguing that inflation in the country and the harsh economic conditions call for faithful implementation of the law.

    “The private sector might find it difficult to implement the new wage because they are capitalist in nature.

    “Government should, therefore, come up with good policies to improve the economy.” He said union is set to look into this particular area and urged other labour unions in the private sector to device means to ensure that employers in the private sector implement the new wage structure.

  • ‘VAT increase will add to our burden’

    Our Reporter

     

    National Union of Chemical Footwear, Rubber, Leather and Non-Metallic Products Employees, NUCFRLANMPE, has rejected the Federal Government’s proposed Value Added Tax (VAT) increase from five per cent to 7.2 per cent.

    Speaking with reporters in Lagos, the National President of the union, Comrade Goke Olatunji, said border closure is already taking its toll on the sector, adding that the increase in VAT will add to the various challenges facing their members.

    In addition, he said the increase would erode any benefit the increase in the new national minimum wage would bring to workers and Nigerians

    According to him, government should widen the tax net and get people to pay tax, rather than over-tax those that are in the net already.

    Read Also: Students commence training in rubber institute

     

    He said: “We reject the increase as it will further lead to our burden. At the moment, many of our members are finding it hard to survive as a result of the closure of the border. Many of our members cannot export their goods to the neighbouring companies.

    “Not only this, it will also erode whatever purchasing power the minimum wage may bring. We see it as a move not well thought through with the welfare of Nigerian wage earners in mind.

    “Its impact on Nigerian manufacturers and job creation and retention will be nightmarish. It is clearly insensitive to the plight of the ordinary Nigerian. What the government needs to do is to widen the tax net and get people to pay tax and not to overtax those that are in the net as of now.”

    Olatunji said this will also erode the gain which is supposed to arise as a   timely passage of the 2020 budget.

    He said: “Yes, it is a good thing that the 2020 budget passed but I don’t see the budget making much impact next year, despite the timely passage.

    “This is because the challenges facing us is enormous. One of the problems we face in our sector is erratic power supply and our employers like other employers in the country, are not finding it funny because they spend so much on alternative sources of power especially generators and diesel for most of their operations which has eaten deep into their profits.

    If you recall, Dunlop and Michelin were major companies in our sector, but they left this country because of harsh operating environment, mainly the issue of power, and threw all their workers into the unemployment market. Today, their products are everywhere in the nation’s market.

    “However, we are not sitting idle, we are already diversifying to boost our revenue base.”

     

  • Union seeks tight measures to tackle pilfering in ports

    Our Reporter

     

    Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has called on security agencies operating at the seaports to put in place measures to tackle the menace of stealing and breaching of cargoes by miscreants.

    They urged the Nigerian ports police as well as the terminal operators and security personnel to initiate tight security measures, following reports of alleged pilfering, stealing, and breaching of cargoes at the seaports by some scoundrels erroneously believed to be dockworkers.

    Secretary-General, MWUN, Felix Akingboye, in a statement said the menace is capable of damaging the image of Nigeria in the comity of nations.

    The union advised that whoever is caught in the criminal act should not be spared, but be visited with the full weight of the law no matter how highly placed.

    The union raised the alarm following reports of pilfering, stealing and breaching of cargoes in seaports by some scoundrels erroneously believed to be dockworkers.

    Read Also: ‘Why we encourage women in maritime’

     

    “MWUN, being a disciplined and responsible union has zero-tolerance for any form of criminality, as its constitution loathes the same.

    “The dockworkers of today are refined with individuals, who would not risk their robust terminal benefits by engaging in breaching of cargoes. They know the sanctions that await any authentic dockworker caught in any criminal act,” the statement said.

    It explained that the erroneous misconception stemmed from the fact that Biometric Identity card (BID), which should have differentiated and distinguished the core dockworkers from the miscreants that daily troop into the ports have not been issued despite repeated demands by the union.

    “Pilfering, stealing and broaching of cargoes are criminal acts which no disciplined and responsible organisation should condole,” it said.

  • Preparing for future change at workplace

    Labour experts have urged workers to prepare themselves for the challenges posed by technological advancement, climate change and globalisation. TOBA AGBOOLA examines what organisations need to do to prepare the workforce for the future.

     

    The workplace of the future is undergoing a fundamental transformation because of technological disruption, high level of skills among others.

    This disruption is improving the way tasks are carried out in the workplace and driving efficiency. Organisations and companies are increasingly investing in automation and thinking machines to drive innovations, results and keep pace with the ever changing business environment.

    With a workforce of 85 million, Nigeria is home to an enormous labour market. However, this resource is characterised by low levels of skill and educational attainment. Just 15 per cent of the labour force has a post-secondary education.

    Speaking at a forum recently, the President,  Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba said to be ready for the workplace for the future, there is need for an employee to possess skills relevant for the future of the workplace.

    He also called on the employers to provide adequate resources in order to retain the best of its workforce.

    He said Nigeria is losing the best of its workforce to other countries and will continue to do so because it is not providing resources to retain the best.

    He said: “With the advent of globalisation, the world is becoming more and more of a global village. And we cannot be able to retain our best if the environment is not competitive enough. Today, what drives the world is knowledge. We have seen that around the world, our best are stolen because we cannot retain them if we don’t have a good package to retain them.

    “We are gathered here today to examine, brainstorm, discuss and proffer pragmatic ideas to the challenges of today and fears of tomorrow confronting Nigerian workers.

    “As leaders, we owe it as a duty to our followers to go beyond providing solutions to the problem of today but also to prepare answers to the questions of tomorrow.

    “Technology comes with challenge and opportunity. Workers around the world and particularly in Nigeria cannot be left behind. We should prepare for the now’’.

    He, however, said while labour leaders attempt to answer the questions posed by the future of work, they should be anxious to dispose all or most of the concerns that exist in the contemporary world of work.

    Wabba said while other countries have developed an automated platform for minimum wage and are focused on living wage, Nigerian workers are forced to wait for too long to get a meagre increase in minimum wage and  adjustment in salaries

    Corroborating, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment, Lagos State, Mrs. Ganiyat Raji, urged workers to possess necessary skills relevant for the future of the work place.

    She said there is high unemployment rate in the country, adding that  there are also job vacancies in organisations waiting to be occupied by people with the right qualifications and requisite training.

    Raji, further noted that preparing the youth for the workplace of the future, requires that a review of the system, adding that the current model of education, career planning, and job searching would shift.

    She also stated that considering the dynamism in the global labour market, workers need not wait the shift arising before learning and teaching the new rules of success. This, according to her,  requires the workforce to be proactive and strategic-thinking.

    She said: “Preparing for the future work must give recognition to the wave of technological breakthroughs. We cannot fight innovations or disruption, what we can do is to change with time to be relevant.

    “Every field is open to revolutionary transformational development. Robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are eating jobs at an alarming rate. Getting ready for the future work challenges in the technological revolution era, workers need to improve their virtual collaboration skills, digital and media literacy, and how to boost inmate creative intelligence skills.

    Read Also: Nigeria Labour Congress falls into crisis

    “The Lagos State government, through the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment recognising these challenges, provides a wide range of youth development initiatives such as creation of five job registration/labour exchange centres, employability skill training for youths across the state, organising various employability trainings, computer training and software development, and Lagos State graduate internship programme.

    Speaking  at the opening of the 14th International Labour Organisation (ILO) African Regional Meeting in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, the ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder called on African countries to seize the opportunities that exist on the continent to advance towards a human-centred future of work.

    Ryder said: ‘’Africa has every reason to regard the future with confidence. Young, rich in resources, dynamic and creative, it offers possibilities which in many ways, do not exist in other regions. However, as always, there are challenges.’’

    Other challenges, he said, include a social protection financing gap amounting to 68 billion US dollars a year; economic, social and migratory pressures; and the impact of climate change and globalisation.

    “What we seek is a future of work with social justice as the surest guarantee we can have of peace and prosperity in Africa and in the world. This is the unfinished business of our 100- year- old organisation which we must take forward together.”

    Speaking on the ‘human-centred’ approach, Ryder said this  is based on investing in people’s capabilities, the institutions of work that ensure that labour is not a commodity, and in decent and sustainable work, particularly in the green, rural and healthcare economies.

    He also called for accelerated action to implement the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Global Compact on Safe and Orderly Migration, as well as promises made by governments to tackle climate change.

    Regional Director, Ford Foundation, West Africa, Mr Innocent Chukwuma, said the foundation is committed in preparing young people for the life ahead, adding that the future belongs to the youth.

    He said human capital is the most suitable resource any nation can have, not oil, gold or diamond, noting that natural resources faces the problem of depletion.

    He said: “But well trained and motivated, workforce can take any nation to great height and that makes the difference between a first, second and third world.

    ”If you look at the number one generator of foreign exchange to Nigeria presently, it is diaspora remittances. In 2018, it amounted to $22 billion, whereas if you look at this year’s budget, the expected revenue from oil and gas is N12.5 billion which means human capital generates far beyond oil revenue”.

     

  • Anxiety in states over minimum wage

    Less than four weeks to the expiration of the December 31 deadline by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and other labour unions to states to complete all negotiations on what they will pay their workers, only Lagos, Kaduna and Kebbi states have come up with their minimum wage offers. This may trigger a fresh industrial crisis. TOBA AGBOOLA reports.

    A FRESH industrial action may be looming across the country. More than 20 states are yet to commence negotiations with their state chapters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) as per the N30,000 minimum wage approved by the Federal Government. The labour, last week, said of the three states that had released their minimum wage offers to workers, only that of Lagos State was accepted by the union. Specifically, labour claimed that some governors deliberately twisted the process to short-change workers. The Secretary of the  Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC), Comrade Alade Lawal,  accused governors of the states which were yet to begin negotiations of deliberately delaying the process to achieve motives yet to be ascertained. He said: “For now, negotiations are moving on but not at the pace we want. Only Lagos State has completed negotiations.”

    Oyo State

    The Oyo State Government is yet to decide on whether it can pay the new minimum wage, the Chief Press Secretary to the Oyo State Governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, said last week. He said the state government and workers had decided to make consultations which outcome would soon be made public. Adisa, in a statement, said the wage bill of workers in the state increased by N1 billion shortly after the governorship election of March 9, a development that shot up the wage bill to about N5.2 billion. “Between March 10, when we were declared winner of the election, and May 29, when we eventually got into office, the wage bill of Oyo State increased by N1billion but we have been paying it,” he had said. Also, the Chairman, Oyo State Internal Revenue Service (OYIRS), Aremo John Adeleke, recently said the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) rose to about N2.7 billion in the month of October. Adeleke said from the average of about N1.2 billion monthly inherited from the last administration, the sudden rise followed the efforts of the Makinde-led administration in blocking leakages and ensure a continuous rise in the IGR to help the state depend less on federal allocation.

    KOGI

    In Kogi, at a recent meeting Governor Yahaya Bello held with leaders of organised labour in the state, he told them that if states such as Katsina, Zamfara and Niger could pay the minimum, why wouldn’t Kogi pay. The governor, while reacting to the signing of the N30,000 Minimum Wage Bill, said: “Laws are made to be obeyed and we are sure the Federal Government will make it convenient for states to pay the new minimum wage.” At the moment, the monthly wage bill of workers in the state government employ is within the region of about N2.5 billion. The monthly allocation from the FAAC to the state hovers between N2.5 billion and N2.6 billion, while the state’s IGR monthly is about N1.3 billion. Kogi took a bailout of N50.8 billion to offset salaries owed workers. Until recently, when the situation of salaries was largely addressed following the release of the bailout funds, Kogi had challenges in paying salaries even at N18,000 minimum wage.

    OGUN

    The former administration in Ogun State put the wage bill at N9 billion, while the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) was N7 billion. However, Governor Dapo

    Abiodun in June hinted that the state’s wage bill stood at N7 billion. He equally said his government had recorded “unprecedented increase” in IGR, but kept the figure close to his chest. Recently, the governor assured workers that his administration would give the implementation of the new minimum wage serious and positive consideration. The organised labour in the state had appealed to the governor to expedite action on the implementation of the new wage.

    KADUNA

    The Kaduna State Government is one of the first to agree to pay the new minimum wage, and started paying in September. Many local governments in the state have also keyed into the initiative and have started implementing the new minimum wage. Its Deputy Governor, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, explained that Governor Nasir El-Rufai intended to strengthen the public service and its capacity to deliver quality and responsive service, hence, the implementation of the new wage structure. The Executive Chairman of Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KDIRS), Dr. Said Abubakar,  recently announced that the state generated N30.3 billion in 10 months.The state government said paying the new wage and consequential adjustments would increase the wage bill by 33 per cent, giving them a gross monthly salary outlay of N3.759 billion from N2.827 billion.

    NASARAWA

    Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State was reported to have promised to commence the process for the implementation of the N30,000 wage. He disclosed at a two-day retreat for political appointees in Akwanga, that an agreement had been reached on the consequential adjustment for workers on grade levels 7 to 17, and the state would soon commence the process of implementation. Governor Sule said he had sworn to obey laws as a governor, adding that the N30,000 minimum wage is a law in the country that must be obeyed. He, however, described Nasarawa as being among the most disadvantaged in terms of federal subvention and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

    KATSINA

    In Katsina State, the government has constituted a negotiating committee on the minimum wage, under the leadership of the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa, to within three weeks report back to government with recommendations on its implementation. Governor Aminu Masari, during its inauguration, urged the members to ensure they made recommendations in accordance with the resources available. The committee has since its inauguration met twice and has the Kaduna, Jigawa and Lagos salary scales as guide towards their recommendations. Currently, the state government supports most of its local governments to pay salaries and wages. On revenue generation, the chairman of the state revenue board, Aminu Abdulmumini, said it generated N6.3billion from January to September this year, adding, that their target is N8.1billion for 2019.

    BAUCHI

    The Bauchi State Government has continued to remain silent over its stand on the implementation of the minimum wage. The government is currently verifying the Bank Verification Number (BVN) of its civil servants to fish out ghost workers on government’s payroll. The organised labour in the state last week submitted a letter demanding the state government to commence negotiations on the adjustment to the implementation of the new wage.

    Read Also: Doctors reject new minimum wage

     

    PLATEAU

    Governor Simon Bako Lalong of Plateau State has made it clear at many foa that his administration would pay the minimum wage despite shortfalls in revenue. Currently, Plateau is paying N18,000 as minimum wage according to the Head of Service, Izam Azi, who also said the state government had set up a 12-man committee to negotiate with organised labour, with a view to coming out with modalities for implementation in the state.Plateau State Head of Service, Izam Azi, had in May said the state would require N2 billion monthly to meet the N30, 000 minimum wage.

    EDO

    The Edo State government says it is ready to pay the N30,000 minimum wage.  Governor Godwin Obaseki had during the budget presentation at the state House of Assembly voted N34billion for workers’ welfare, saying  workers’ welfare got the lion’s share of the budget due to government’s commitment to implementing the new minimum wage. The media aide to the governor, Crusoe Osagie, said the state government had said it would pay the N30,000 minimum wage even before Federal Government rounded up negotiations.

    RIVERS

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike at a function early this year said the state government would pay the new minimum wage as soon as it receives official transmission from the Federal Government. The government is however yet to implement the new minimum wage as confirmed by some state civil servants  in the state. A source from Government House said the governor would implement the new wage as soon as the transmission is received. Information obtained from FAAC shows that Rivers State receives a monthly allocation of N14.7 billion from the federation account. The state government spends N6billion monthly on wage bill. Salaries for civil servants gulp N5 billion monthly while pension allowances take N1billion, bringing the figure to N6 billion. The state government raked in N112.78billion in 2018 as IGR. A breakdown shows that the state’s monthly IGR stands between N7.5 billion and N8.5billion. Governor Wike recently directed the state IGR board to raise the monthly IGR to N10billion.

     KANO

    The Kano State government says it will pay the new minimum wage with an additional N600, making it a total of N30,600 to the state civil servants. The state’s Head of Service, Dr. Kabir Shehu, said an agreement had been reached already on the implementation with regard to civil servants on grade levels 1 to 6, saying negotiation was on concerning workers on grade levels 7 to 17. He added that the state was financially capable of implementing the new salary structure, noting that it would not amount to retrenchment, or laying off of workers.

  • Industrial peace: NUPENG, NEXEN Petroleum begin negotiations

    THE Nigerian Union of Petroleum and  Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has begun negotiation with Nexen Petroleum Limited in furtherance of its commitment to social dialogue.

    NUPENG’s General Secretary Comrade Afolabi Olawale,  who made this known to newsmen, stated that NUPENG and Nexen Petroleum had commenced negotiation to address issues earlier raised in its press statement.

    He praised the readiness of Nexen Petroleum management to adopt global best practices in industrial relations by engaging the union in dialogue over workers’ condition of service. “Our union believes that the dialogue will go a long way in enhancing industrial peace, harmony and high productivity in the workplace”, he said.

    He noted that the leadership of the NUPENG further warned General Electric/Arco Group Plc not to plunge the country into avoidable industrial crisis during this yuletide period.

    Read Also: NUPENG accuses IOCs of flouting labour laws

     

    Olawale emphasised that General Electric was still very recalcitrant and strongly advised them to urgently do the needful by remitting back to ARCO Group Plc the outstanding over deducted withholding tax to enable Arco pay the severance packages of all workers sacked since 2016.

    The NUPENG scribe, however, added that the endurance level of the union should not be overstretched and called on all relevant authorities to prevail on General Electric to do the needful in order not to plunge the nation into avoidable industrial crisis.

    THE Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has begun negotiation with Nexen Petro

  • HR experts canvass good relationship between employers, employees

    Human Resources practitioners under the aegis of the Association of Elite Human Resources Professionals (AEHRP) have listed ways through which a practitioner can strike a balance between its dual role of being a strategic business partner and an employee champion.

    They mentioned professionalism,  understanding business strategies and navigation competencies to guide an organisation beyond murky waters, and adherence to the craft of the business.

    They said this at the second anniversary of the association held in Lagos, with the theme “HR as a Strategic Business Partner and Employee Champion; Striking a balance”.

    Head of Human Capital at Letshego Microfinance Bank and guest speaker Emmanuel Micheal,  said as a human relations person, there were two strategic roles one needed to play; first as a business partner to the management and secondly as an employee champion, so it behoved the professional to understand the expectations.

    Read Also: Human resources, drugs, vaccines are critical – Adewole

     

    He said for the HR to champion employee cause, the business must make money as, without the money, the needs of the employees won’t be provided for; and without the employees, there would be no way to make the money. So, there is the need for the HR professional to make employees understand their role and the business owner to also do same, he said.

    Chairman, planning committee of the event and a HR manager, Adekunle Olunloyo,  said to strike a balance, an HR person must be professional, irrespective of where he/she was coming from or who the parties to any issue were. The yes must be yes, so as not to lay a bad precedence, and he should get approvals before taking actions.

    Olunloyo said the HR practitioner must know how to document events and action plans as the office would always be there no matter who was on ground. Documented records, standards of operations will help the company grow when the current officeholder is not in office, he said.

  • Chemical workers seek govt’s support

    Workers in the chemical sector of the economy has urged the Federal Government to implement policies that will scale up performance and inclusive growth of the chemical sector.

    The President of the Chemical and Non Metallic Products Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (CANMPSSAN), Segun David, in his address at the union’s annual National Management/Industrial Relations seminar held last week in Abeokuta, Ogun State, said the government would have to give maximum support to the sector for it to continue to play its leading role in the salvation of the economy.

    “We contribute immensely to the Gross Domestic Products (GDP) of the country, particularly slipping Nigeria out of economic recession and still making the economy more economically vibrant,” he said.

    Speaking further at the 24th annual seminar themed “An Overview of the Nigeria Corporate Survival and Industrial Relations Practices in the face of economic challenges-Chemical and Non-Metallic Products experience”, David noted that chemical and non-metallic products sector was more diverse than almost any other industry in Nigeria, adding that the sector drives the economy.

    He lamented that the business environment in which they operate was faced with various challenges such as structural bottlenecks, comatose infrastructure, low capacity utilisation, unemployment, import dependence, poor regulatory environment, insecurity, inadequate long-term financing which hinders real sector growth, multiple taxation, unfavorable interest rate and low corporate governance practices.

    He said, “It’s unfortunate that we have companies like we have in Nigeria and government cannot provide the facilities and enabling environment needed for them to thrive as we have in the developed economy.

    “Government should look into these factors if they really want the manufacturing sector to be the driving force of economic growth in the country.”

    David added that the sector also had to contend with various internal factors ranging from gratuity, downsizing, victimisation, outsourcing, contract staffing and other anti-labour activities.

    On the border closure, he said the effect would strengthen the policy of diversification, grow domestic industries and boost economic growth.

    He stated: “As Nigerians, we need to focus on the growth and development of the  domestic economy by boosting local production. No country develop by consuming from other country goods and we are not capable of making any at all.

    “The value of domestic production create jobs, appreciate naira value at the exchange market, and also make domestic economy vibrant. I therefore charge Nigerians to embrace the policies and programmes of the government, so that Nigeria can become a producing country among the comity of nations.”

    The immediate past president of the union, Abdul Gafar Mohammed charged the workers to think of retirement while still active at work, bearing in mind that there’s no job security in the country. orkers in the chemical sector of the economy has urged the Federal Government to implement policies that will scale up performance and inclusive growth of the chemical sector.

    The President of the Chemical and Non Metallic Products Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (CANMPSSAN), Segun David, in his address at the union’s annual National Management/Industrial Relations seminar held last week in Abeokuta, Ogun State, said the government would have to give maximum support to the sector for it to continue to play its leading role in the salvation of the economy.

    “We contribute immensely to the Gross Domestic Products (GDP) of the country, particularly slipping Nigeria out of economic recession and still making the economy more economically vibrant,” he said.

    Speaking further at the 24th annual seminar themed “An Overview of the Nigeria Corporate Survival and Industrial Relations Practices in the face of economic challenges-Chemical and Non-Metallic Products experience”, David noted that chemical and non-metallic products sector was more diverse than almost any other industry in Nigeria, adding that the sector drives the economy.

    Read Also: Workers injured as picketing turns violent

     

    He lamented that the business environment in which they operate was faced with various challenges such as structural bottlenecks, comatose infrastructure, low capacity utilisation, unemployment, import dependence, poor regulatory environment, insecurity, inadequate long-term financing which hinders real sector growth, multiple taxation, unfavorable interest rate and low corporate governance practices.

    He said, “It’s unfortunate that we have companies like we have in Nigeria and government cannot provide the facilities and enabling environment needed for them to thrive as we have in the developed economy.

    “Government should look into these factors if they really want the manufacturing sector to be the driving force of economic growth in the country.”

    David added that the sector also had to contend with various internal factors ranging from gratuity, downsizing, victimisation, outsourcing, contract staffing and other anti-labour activities.

    On the border closure, he said the effect would strengthen the policy of diversification, grow domestic industries and boost economic growth.

    He stated: “As Nigerians, we need to focus on the growth and development of the  domestic economy by boosting local production. No country develop by consuming from other country goods and we are not capable of making any at all.

    “The value of domestic production create jobs, appreciate naira value at the exchange market, and also make domestic economy vibrant. I therefore charge Nigerians to embrace the policies and programmes of the government, so that Nigeria can become a producing country among the comity of nations.”

    The immediate past president of the union, Abdul Gafar Mohammed charged the workers to think of retirement while still active at work, bearing in mind that there’s no job security in the country.

  • Unfavourable labour policies and workers’ rights

    According to labour experts, unfavourable labour policies are threats to workers’ rights. Such policies also contradict the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Act on workers’ rights, TOBA AGBOOLA reports.

    The International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention on Workers’ Rights is clear on the need for workers to work under favourable and conducive environment.

    The ILO also went a notch higher, identifying eight fundamental conventions to support its position. The eight conventions include freedom of association, collective bargaining, elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour and equal remuneration, among others.

    However, labour experts argue that these rights are observed only in the breach by most employers of labour in Nigeria.

    Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Comrade Ayuba Wabba noted that some of the unfavourable policies had impoverished the workforce, in spite of being the most important factor of production.

    He stated that Nigerian workers and trade unions had been at the receiving end of unfavorable policies of the government and private sector.

    Wabba said there was a need for labour unions to address the issue of casualisation, unceremonious disengagement and other vices targeted at workers.

    Wabba stated that government and private sector policies across the country needed a total overhaul.

    According to him, human and trade union rights are interwoven, and lawyers that engage in labour and human rights issues are themselves activists, championing the cause of workers.

    Wabba said Nigeria had progressive laws to handle employers and employees relations, but noted that, in most cases, those laws were violated by employers or government.

    President, United Labour Congress (ULC), Mr. Joe Ajaero,  stressed the need to review obsolete laws that are not in tune with current realities.

    He said some private sector employers paying their employees between N10,000 and N15,000 was unacceptable. He said such group of workers who are being paid pittance by their employers must be assisted to compel their employers treat them fairly.

    Ajaero said some sectors needed to be unionlised for them to have a voice and fight the injustice being meted out to them by their employers.

    The General Secretary, National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN), Comrade Issa Aremu, canvassed the urgent review of the laws, adding that  there is also a need for stakeholders to collaborate and make input on ways to review obsolete laws in accordance with modern reality.

    Aremu, who is also a member of the NLC, commended the Federal Government for closing land borders to end smuggling of goods into the country. He said the move was impressive, as it was aiding local production and consumption of goods.

    Citing what is happening in the textile industry, Aremu said garment industries have been boosted. He said there was the need to sustain current efforts and support the Nigeria Customs Service to fight smuggling.

    “We will like to commend the efforts of the Federal Government in the closure of its land borders, this has helped in total overhaul of textile and garment industries in the country.

    “It is already on record that the textile industries are now making money, smugglers and importers have gone into hiding, border closure should not be permanent, but should be sustained for the mean time.”

    Aremu said that in 31 years of the union’s existence, industrial peace and harmony had been sustained through the principles of collective bargaining. He noted that the association had also signed 46 national agreements for development.

    He said ITF needed to increase its intervention on worker’s training and skills development, saying this was necessary as the future of work was being threatened by technology.

    He also advised the Federal Government to be wary of foreign investors, who use diverse schemes to swindle the country, citing the over $9 billion PI and D gas contract scam.

    A legal practitioner, Mr. Adedeji Emmanuel, said Nigeria lawyers were willing to help in the protection and defence of workers’ rights. He stated that International Lawyers Assisting Workers (ILAW), Nigeria would provide support to workers whose rights were being violated, adding that pressure would be exerted on employers of labour to respect the rights of workers.

    The predicament of Nigerian workers also came to the fore recently at the ILAW inaugural meeting.

    Chairman, Board of ILAW, Mr. Jeffery Vogt, noted that countries had reneged on their promises to abide by ILO convention. He said  many countries that signed the ILO convention have, in one way or the other, refused to honour it. He listed Nigeria as one of the defaulting countries, adding that ILAW, Nigeria, would defend the rights of workers and the trade unions.

    Vogt said violation of workers’ rights was becoming a major fundamental problem worldwide.

    According to him, it is obvious that workers and trade unions are struggling worldwide, which shows that their rights are being violated.

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    Vogt stated that the rights of workers to organise and protest were daily being restricted, in violation of the ILO convention. He noted that it had become absolutely imperative to have the best advocate under the ILAW to champion the rights of Nigerian workers.

    He said a platform for lawyers and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to engage one another and share experiences was necessary in order to fight and protect workers rights.

    “Lawyers in the world and across the cities must stand and bring justice for working people.

    “I have related with trade unions across the world and found out fundamentally that we are all confined to the same thing, though names of employers and the workers may be different,” Vogt said.

    Minister of State for Labour and Employment Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN) said labour laws were obsolete, which he said gave rise to unfavorable policies.

    The minister stated that an executive bill was also imperative for a review of labour laws, noting that most of the labour laws in place at the moment were not pro-workers.

    He said: “I do agree that most of our laws are obsolete and not pro- workers, but majorly pro-employers, but the Federal Government alone should not be the driver of the process to overhaul the country’s labour laws.”

  • ‘We’ll ensure councils comply with minimum wage’

    The National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has said it will ensure that local government areas comply with the new minimum wage.

    Its President, Comrade Ibrahim Khaleel, said the N30,000 national minimum wage is a law that must be obeyed throughout the federation, adding that it is a must for local government administrators to obey the law.

    He added that the union would do everything to ensure that members at the local government level enjoyed the new wage as stipulated by the law.

    He said as one of the labour leaders that participated, from the beginning to the end of the negotiation, particularly on the consequential adjustment, the union has been in touch with the leadership of various states as things continued to unfold on the process up till the last minute when  the agreement was reached.

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    He said:  ”We have passed it to our members and  alerted them through a text message, before our circular got to them, that this was the outcome of the agreement and they should prepare ground to engage various governments at their level, from local to state level, to make sure that this consequential adjustment is implemented as expected by all our members.

    “That is why our union is primarily concerned and worried about the viability of the local government as a system. There is no gainsaying that the system is sinking because of the constitutional encumbrances. This is because the level of encroachment of state government on the local government is already putting our members and the system at a disadvantaged position and unless and until we keep faith with the fight and struggle to make the system viable, certainly the future of local government is bleak. Strategically, we are in touch with the leadership of the union at various levels, that is the states and local governments.

    “I want to also say that it is as a result of our presence that our group, in the categorisation  of the salary structure, is even having an upper hand , you can see clearly that the category is divided into A and B , local government workers fall into category A which got the highest percentage in the agreement.

    Khaleel said the Organised Labour is supposed to demand for review of the minimum by 2021, adding that this is in accordance with the provision of the minimum wage act.