The Nation Newspaper

Category: Labour

  • Union bemoans sector’s high job loss rate

    Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB) has raised the alarm over the high rate of workers’ retrenchment by employers in the sector.

    The union urged the Federal Government to engage employers  with a view to stopping the crisis mass sack may cause in future.

    Its National President, Quadri Olaleye, stated this during the union’s 40th anniversary and awards in Auchi, Edo State.

    The anniversary, which had “40 years of Heroic Struggle for Better Living for All: The Challenge, Success and Aspirations”, as theme, chronicled the union’s struggles in its efforts to promote workers’ welfare.

    Olaleye said the association would go into redundancy negotiation with companies to nip the situation in the bud.

    Olaleye, who blamed the situation on difficulties in the economy, wondered how the sacked workers would celebrate the forthcoming festive season, with many dependants in their care.

    He suggested that rather than the government granting capital allowances to multinationals on purchase of sophisticated machines, such as robots and automation of packaging which is largely responsible for job losses, it should introduce labour-intensive allowance.

    According to him, initiating a labour-intensive allowance would compel companies to use more of labour than machines to save jobs.

    Olaleye said: “We have discussed with government that instead of what we call the capital allowance, labour intensive allowance should be introduced.

    “The government should be able to engage companies and our employers’ association in discussions to look at the capacity of the industry and look at the number of workers that should be in that industry to move the food sector forward.

    “Government giving some percentages as capital allowance to companies that use sophisticated machines is totally wrong.”

    Olaleye also urged the government to urgently address the influx of substandard goods, while appropriate sanctions should beput in place to prevent smugglers from carrying out their nefarious acts.

    According to him, the menace has created complications for the industry, leading to increased  unemployment, redundancies and factory closures.

    The chairman on the occasion and Managing Director, Nestle Nigeria Plc., Mauricio Alarcon, commended FOBTOB on milestones attained.

    Alarcon, who was represented by Director, Human Resource, Shola Akinyosoye, called on labour unions to ensure that employers take workers’ welfare seriously.

    A keynote presentation on “Building stronger union through collective struggle: A challenge for Trade Unions”, by former Trade Union of Nigeria (TUC) General Secretary, John Kolawole, advised unions to continue to fight for people-focused policies.

    Highlights of the ceremony were the presentation of awards to members and companies as well as commissioning of a 26-room hostel for use by students of Auchi Polytechnic.

  • ‘We ‘ll continue to fight oil sector anti-workers’ policies’

    The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has restated its commitment to fighting government policies that negatively affect the Nigerian worker in public and private sectors.

    PENGASSAN President Comrade Francis Olabode Johnson, who spoke at the 40th anniversary celebration of the union in Abuja, recently, said one of the challenges of the oil and gas industry was that the indigenous oil companies continued to engage in anti-labour practices.

    According to him, they do this by implementing a “union free workplace” and by threatening employees engaging in collective activity, while promising unattainable incentives if they stopped identifying with labour union.

    Johnson said: “In the International Oil Companies (IOCs), we have issues with the duration of contract jobs. Some of the contract employments are so short that one wonders how the employee will plan a life with such short-term employments.

    “Furthermore, the contractors are changed after almost every term and the workers face the issue of whether they will be dropped with the ending of the contract or absorbed into the new one.

    “This is why we implore the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) to look into this and ensure that the contract worker is well protected.

    “Our legal system equally poses its own danger in the sense that some labour cases drag for years in the courts and the workers get tired or even die without getting justice for the wrong suffered.”

    He stated that PENGASSAN, which was registered in 1978 to promote, protect and improve through collective action the social and economic interests of the senior and middle management employees in the oil and gas sector, has remained a notable pressure group that continues to play a huge role in nation building.

    Johnson said: “The association and its allies like NUPENG, NLC and TUC were at the forefront of the fight for the democracy that the country relishes today. The fearless, patriotic and irrepressible leadership of the association gave their all to regain and secure our democratic liberty, despite the intimidation, victimisation and harassment of the military junta.”

    The labour leader also noted that the country no longer derives maximum benefit from oil and gas operations, adding that the union had collaborated with other agencies for the passage of the Nigerian Content Law to enable Nigerians take ownership of the operations in the industry through the transfer of technical know-how and use of local raw materials.

    “We were also resilient in the struggle to restore normalcy to the downstream sector in 2016. We supported the new joint venture cash call framework and the NNPC reforms.

    “Currently, we are at the forefront in engaging the executive and legislature on the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB),” he added.

    He appealed to the government to look into the labour laws and strengthen the provisions to protect the contract worker in the light of contemporary challenges.

     

  • Union: sub-standard textiles control 90% of market

    The National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) has said cheap and sub-standard textiles control about 90 percent of the market.

    Speaking at the NUTGTWN 40th Anniversary themed: “Repositioning Labour and Industry for the Next 40 Years”, held recently in Lagos, the President of the union, Comrade John Adaji, said a country with a population of nearly 200 million should not complain of market problems.

    He said the challenge was the unrestrained smuggling and importation of cheap and sub-standard goods.

    He said the government must propel competitive local production by addressing the perennial electricity supply issue; implement a cocktail of incentives, some of which are contained in the Cotton, Textile and Garment (CTG) Policy.

    Adaji called on the Federal Government to review the gas price from $7.62 per cubic meter to $2.5 for local manufacturers, insisting that local industries cannot compete favourably with foreign industries without a reduction ingas price.

    The NUTGTWN president also called for the urgent implementation of the Federal Government’s Executive Order on the procurement of made-in-Nigeria goods.

    “We call for the immediate implementation of the Executive Order in respect of procurement of made in Nigerian goods. Uniforms for all uniformed agencies must be procured locally. The same applies to schools, markets, hotels and so on,” he said.

    The General Secretary of the union, Comrade Issa Aremu, expressed regrets at the moribund state of textile mills in the country, urging the Federal Government to intervene urgently.

    “Sadly, we regret today that KTL, which started declining in the early 90s, has been shutdown almost permanently since 2002 with thousands of workers laid off and some yet to be fully paid.

    “We are not here to agonise, but organise at 40th anniversary for the revival of KTL and other textile mills under lock and key.

    “We call on the Federal and State Governments to, within the context of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), urgently revive moribund textile mills in particular and manufacturing industries in general,” Aremu said.

    He suggested a state-led industrialisation process, in collaboration with private sector to consciously add value, create factories and decent mass jobs for youths.

    Aremu added that Nigeria needed good governance like in the 60s that would encourage made-in-Nigeria goods and halt capital flight through criminal importation.

    The Deputy General Secretary of the union, Comrade Yusuf Bello, urged the government to improve the textile and garment industry by supporting existing factories for old factories that have folded up to be re-opened.

     

  • Labour condemns govt’s plan to derail minimum wage

    Organised Labour, under the aegis of the Trade Union Side (TUS) of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC), has urged the federal and state governments to implement the new National Minimum Wage or face the wrath of workers.

    In a press statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, the TUS Chairman, Comrade Abdrafiu Alani Adeniji, and the Secretary, Comrade Alade Bashir Lawal, regretted that instead of the Federal   Government   to   send   a   bill   to   the   National   Assembly   to   enact   the  2018   National Minimum Wage Act, it has elected to embark on a fruitless plot to subvert the entire negotiation that took more than one year to conclude.

    “How can the Federal Government want to sabotage a democratically agreed National Minimum Wage that was even voted for and agreed upon by all the stakeholders.

    “We call on the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) that participated actively and fully in the negotiation to speak out and tell the world the whole truth on what transpired before the new National Minimum Wage was arrived at,” the union stated.

    The labour leaders noted that labour is in the Exclusive Legislative List and as such the Federal Government should proceed to enact the National Minimum Wage Act instead of trying to intimidate workers by invoking a primitive labour law of ‘no work no pay’ in this 21st century the International Labour Organisation (ILO) is harping on labour best practices.

    “Nigerian workers are determined and no amount of intimidation will cow them from demanding   for   their   right.  The Federal   Government   should,   therefore,   send   the   National Minimum Wage Bill to the National Assembly without further delay.

    “Once   the Federal   Government   sends   the   new   National   Minimum   Wage   Bill   to   the National Assembly and it is passed into law, it will become binding on the state governments, and any of them that refuses to implement it will face the wrath of millions of Nigerian workers,” the labour leaders said.

    According   to   the   TUS,   since   state   governors   were   represented   at   the   Tripartite Committee that negotiated the new National Minimum Wage, it is surprising that the NGF, an illegal body, would turn round to express reservations on the recommendations of the panel.

    “At Any rate, it must be admitted that some State Governors have publicly stated that they will implement the new National Minimum Wage.

    “This is why we demand that the new National Minimum Wage should be enacted into law and Governors that refuse to implement it will meet millions of Nigerian workers at the polls during the forthcoming gubernatorial elections,” the union stated.

    The   TUS   chieftains   regretted   that   after   members   of   the  committee   toured   the  six geopolitical zones and held several meetings in Abuja, their efforts were being truncated by the Federal Government.

    “This is very unfortunate especially for a government that has continued to enjoy the goodwill of the people.

    “The Federal  Government  should, therefore, take urgent steps to implement the new National Minimum Wage to reduce the suffocating poverty in the land,” the union added.

    According to the labour leaders, while political office holders, including ministers, governors, and others, receive millions of naira monthly as emoluments, it is surprising that some of them are opposed to a National Minimum Wage of N30,000 that cannot even take care of the minimum needs of an average Nigerian worker.

    The labour leaders pointed out that apart from their humongous emoluments, governors appropriate billions of naira as security votes that are not accounted for and they conveniently forget that we all go to the same market.

    They posited that the Federal Government was taking the understanding shown by trade unions for granted, thinking that its anti-people policies would continue  without resistance.

    “But   workers’   patience   has   been   over-stretched.  We,   therefore,   demand   that   the  new National Minimum Wage should be implemented because the draconian law of no work no pay is not tenable and cannot deter determined Nigerian workers,” the union said.

  • Footwear workers frown at use of casuals

    The President, National Union of Chemical, Footwear, Rubber and Non-Metallic Product Employees, Mr. Olatunji Babatunde, is dissatisfied with the continued replacement of full-time workers with temporary, casual, outsourced and contract workers.

    Speaking in Lagos, Babatunde said such trend endangers the economy, adding that employers now hide behind what they call the ‘core value’ of their business to casualise over 70 per cent of their workforce through outsourcing and contract employment.

    He explained that precarious work has led to increasing erosion of basic workers’ rights, such as freedom of association and collective bargaining, adding that the use of temporary or casual workers has led to depletion in the membership and capacity of labour unions in all sectors of the economy.

    Babatunde said: “We ask employers of labour to respect the law and where the law is observed in breach, the ministry of labour and other agencies of government should enforce the law.

    ‘It is unacceptable that the Industrial Arbitration Panel (IAP) and Nigeria Industrial Court (NIC) will deliver judgments and employers will disregard such judgments.

    “The union, therefore, demands immediate end to all forms of employment that offend human dignity and deny workers access to living wages, social protection and  the right to join the union”.

     

  • Centre urges prioritisation of PIGB

    The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has urged the National Assembly (NASS) and the Executive to prioritise the passage of the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) into law.

    Its Executive Director, Auwal Ibrahim Musa Rafsanjani, who made the call in an interview with The Nation, in Lagos, stated that it was common knowledge that the PIGB being considered originated as a private member bill.

    He added that both chambers had set up a joint committee on the PIB to fast-track its passage.

    He said: “The result is the successful passage of the PIGB. We, however, note that in spite of all the efforts that went into the bill and the opportunities provided during the public hearing, the President has raised some observations, which made him withhold his assent.

    “CISLAC notes that the president has returned up to 15 bills to the NASS for review before assent. We note with delight that upon resumption on October 9, 2018, the NASS had commenced action on several of the returned bills. The request for funding of the INEC as well as the Electoral Act amendment, are worthy of note.

    “We call on the NASS to also re-visit and prioritise the passage of the PIGB by addressing the genuine concerns of the president and re-sending it to him for assent as soon as possible. We also call on the President, through relevant channels, to be proactive and liaise with the relevant committees of the NASS, through constructive dialogue, to ensure that a bill that will adequately address the challenges in the sector, serve the interest of Nigerians and receive presidential assent is passed.”

    Rafsanjani emphasised that millions of naira being lost in revenues and investments and other positive multiplier effects accruable from the sector could be avoided through the passage and assent to the PIGB and all other components thereof.

    He also called on the Executive to engage the NASS to expedite action on the outstanding components addressing fiscal frameworks, host and impacted communities and sector administration issues so that they can become law before the elections in 2019.

    He said: “All well-meaning stakeholders are optimistic that this session of the NASS would conclude what they had started and contribute to supporting the executive so that this government could fulfil its promise to the Nigerian people as it relates to the passage of the PIB.”

     

  • Union to Fed Govt: ensure compliance with labour laws

    The National Council of Industrial Global Union Federation in Nigeria has called on the Federal Government to enhance its monitoring duties towards ensuring employers’ compliance with labour laws.

    The National Vice-President of the union, Comrade Issa Aremu, made this known to newsmen at a press conference marking the Decent Work held in Lagos.

    The Vice President said inspection, monitoring and enforcement of labour laws by the Federal Ministry of Labour should be effectively scrutinised.

    “We demand that the Federal Ministry of Labour under the leadership of Dr. Chris Ngige stand up and renew its commitment and will to further enhance its monitoring duties and ensure that every employer complies with the provisions of our labour laws.

    “We look forward to fundamental changes in the operations of the ministry and improved inspection, monitoring and enforcement of labour laws” he said.

    The union also demanded the termination of all forms of employment offending human dignity and denying workers access to benefits. It described precarious work as an erosion of basic workers’ rights.

    “We demand immediate end to all forms of employment that offend human dignity and deny workers access to living wages, social protection and denial of the right to join the union.

    “We ask the employers to respect the law and where the law is observed in breach, the ministry of labour and other agencies if Government should enforce the law.

    “Precarious work has led to increasing erosion of basic workers rights such as freedom of association and collective bargaining.

    “The use of temporary/casual workers has led to depletion in union membership and capacity to organise in all sectors that include oil and gas, chemical and non-metallic, steel and engineering, electricity and textile” he said.

  • NUPENG kicks against oil firms’ proscription plan

    The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas  Workers (NUPENG) has called on Nigerians to support its  fight against the alleged plan by oil companies to force the body into extinction.

    NUPENG President Mr. Williams Akporeha made the call at a dinner to celebrate its forthcoming 40th anniversary, in Lagos.

    He said casualisation of workers and outsourcing were major malaises affecting oil workers, adding that companies’ managements hire human resources managers with the mission to ensure that workers don’t join the union and known union members laid off.

    According to him, the union has adopted various strategies to ensure it continued to remain relevant to workers in the oil and gas sub-sector as well as Nigerians.

    “Management of oil companies are coming up with various policies to phase out NUPENG and we have embarked on a lot of struggles to ensure that those plans do not come to fruition.

    “We have situations where oil management today puts policies to ensure that workers who are supposed to be under NUPENG cadre are not employed.

    “When they are employed, they must be under contract and they ensure that they are not unionised and that’s the challenge we continue to face.

    “And if as a leader today, I don’t up my game or realise that those are the challenges I must face then I am very sure it will get to a time where you will not have NUPENG anymore.

    “My major challenge now is to save NUPENG from extinction with focus being to protect members’ jobs as it is relevant to have members in the oil and gas sector to ensure our continuity against management’s wish.”

    Akporeha said calling for industrial actions, which the union is known was an option of last resort. According to him, it was usually caused by attempts to deny union members their rights hence, they have a right to fight not only for themselves, but for all Nigerians.

    “No one in his right senses likes to be on the street under scorching sun to protest as its being ascribed to us, but situations caused it and we have to be ready to fight for our members and all strata of the Nigerian public.

    “We protest when our foundation is threatened. Policies to phase us out of existence are what we are against and are what I will fight as I believe my ascension is not a mistake. Promotion of NUPENG ideals must continue,” he said.

    The president, who rose through the ranks from a floor member in 1992, said the union, under his watch, wants to rebrand its identity from one always on strike by explaining the reasons for such industrial actions to the public.

    He said no matter the intimidation from management, NUPENG must continue to move forward.

    He said plans are on ground to celebrate former leaders of the union, companies and Nigerians at the anniversary coming up in December.

     

  • ULC urges Senate to reject request for $2.78b loan

    The United Labour Congress (ULC) has urged the Senate to reject the Federal Government’s request to borrow $2.78 billion and $87 million to refinance existing foreign debts.

    The labour body said the loan request was unacceptable to it, and did not make economic sense at this time.

    ULC in a statement by its President, Joe Ajaero, said this year’s budget was predicated on a crude oil benchmark of about $55, but the international price of oil is above $80 per barrel.

    “We are worried that the Federal Government is in such a hurry to plunge the nation back into debt trap, which our nation worked assiduously under the leadership of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to escape.

    “We remember that we had to pay over a whooping U$12 billion in one fell swoop to enable us exit the stranglehold of the debt regime. That huge fund would have helped this nation expand its infrastructural base, but debt repayment took them all.

    “ULC is deeply worried that our debt profile is increasing and burgeoning at an alarming proportion especially wt hen it is remembered that in just three years our debt profile has grown to nearly U$30 billion and is still increasing just like the amount being requested for approval by the Federal Government.”

    Ajaero said labour was worried that this scenario was already beginning to play out, as the nation was borrowing U$87million to refinance its debt, meaning that it could not internally generate requisite income to pay interests on its foreign loan portfolio.

    “Our leaders seem focused on eating down the resources that would be available for the future generation. We must as a nation remember that the present generation does not actually own Nigeria, but that we borrowed it from the future generation,” the union said.

  • Baru hails oil workers for stopping planned strike

    The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru, praised the leaderships of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) for their roles in the prompt resolution of the recently averted planned industrial action.

    He gave the commendation at the 4th Quadrennial Delegates’ Conference of the NUPENG/NNPC Group Executive Council in Abuja.

    A statement by NNPC spokesman Ndu Ughamadu quoted Baru as saying both unions demonstrated uncommon commitment to the vision of the NNPC management of ensuring steady and uninterrupted supply of petroleum products across the country.

    ‘’I wish to register my appreciation to the present executives of NUPENG, together with PENGASSAN; you have collectively created an atmosphere of industrial harmony in NNPC and by extension, the entire oil and gas industry.

    “You have shown great understanding at the critical moments in the course of our operations. I thank you for the cordial relationship that has defined our association”, he said.

    Earlier in his speech, the NUPENG National President, Prince Williams Akporeha, said the union had embarked on a number of reforms geared towards rebranding itself for efficiency.