Trade Union Congress

Workers in the Federal civil service and other Ministries, Departments and Agencies have expressed their readiness to proceed on an indefinite strike should the Federal Government refuse to accede to the demands of the Nigeria Labor Congress. 

The workers made this position known in a Press Release titled, FEDERAL WORKERS ARE READY FOR THE INDEFINITE STRIKE ACTION AND TOTAL SHUT DOWN. WORKERS HAVE SUFFERED ENOUGH and signed by the National coordinator of the Federal Workers Forum(FWF) and former chairman of the Oyo state council of the Trade Union Congress(TUC), Comrade Andrew Emelieze.

''Once again, federal government workers are ready for the indefinite strike action and we are looking onto the NLC/TUC to rescue the Nigerian people from this untold hardship. However, if the NLC tarry further, the Federal Workers Forum will not hesitate to call all our members nationwide to perpetual protest.

''Our demand is simply a fair wage.Our government must stop acting as if they don't have a conscience. The government should stop playing games in the lives of people. Nigerian workers are no slaves,we are not beggars, we are public sector workers,we are citizens and we deserve to be treated fairly as a matter of right. Enough of the hide and seek game over the welfare of the federal workers. The present wage is shamefully too poor and it is not taking us home. This would be an embarrassment to the federal government of Nigeria. The FG should weigh the implications of workers' poor wages for overall effectiveness of productivity and society at large.''

''We call on the TUC to rethink her strategy and do the workers' bidding. All efforts must be made to ensure synergy among our labour centers. The obvious divergent views are that over methodology by the NLC and the TUC are not in the interest of the toiling workers. None of the labour centers should be allowed to be used as a clog in the wheel of progress. ''

''The general consensus among workers is that the TUC has been compromised. It is now left to the TUC to prove otherwise as we are all preparing for the indefinite strike action. We call on the NLC/TUC to make this strike action the mother of all strikes. The Nigerian workers and indeed Nigerians must not be betrayed by labour. Our people have suffered enough.'' the release concluded.

Nigerians have called upon the leaders of the Labor Party in Nigeria to decentralize the campaign structure of the party as the 2023 general elections approach to avoid infighting and altercations.

This call was made on Wednesday by the worried and concerned members, supporters and loyalists of the presidential candidate of the Labor Party, moments before the campaign team arrived at the Lekan Salami stadium, Adamasimgba, Ibadan, Nigeria.

''Mr. Peter Obi, his running mate-Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed and other leaders should ensure that the campaign structure of the Labor Party is decentralized and that every Nigerian is carried along in the course of the campaigns across the Federal Republic of Nigeria to avoid infighting, wranglings and altercations; the campaigns should be taken seriously and should be deviod of self-centered thoughts and attitude'', they stated.

In another development, the Ex-Officio of the Oyo state Council of the Trade Union Congress(TUC), who is also a former chairman of the party in the state, Comrade Andrew Emelieze expressed great disappointement over the conspicuous absence of the labor leaders in the state at the venue of the campaigns saying, '' the labor party is the party of the Nigerian workers, the party is gradually gaining momentum and becoming popular, but look around at the venue, leaders of the the labor movement are not here, that of the TUC insisted that he was not invited; all hands must be on deck to support the workers choice, I call on the Nigeria Labior Congress and the Trade Union Congress leaders to come out and openly support the Labor Party.''

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The decision of the Federal Government to implement the Stephen Oronsaye report would not reduce the costs of governance.

This assertion was made recently by the chairman of the Oyo state council of the Trade Union Congress(TUC), Comrade Emmanuel Ogundiran.

''The bifurcation and the so-called proliferation of appointments gave rise to the Stephen Oronsaye report. Have those conditions changed? Are those issues no longer there? If they think that the implementation of the report would reduce the costs of governance, they are looking at the worn place.''

''We have always asked, why are civil servants the first to be sacrificed in almost every situation? We are not against the implementation of the Oronsaye report or any reform, but the question is, will it have a meaningful impact on reducing the cost of governance? We also want to ask politicians what has happened to the retinue of aides of political office holders and the proliferation of political appointees. What have they done to them? And if they implement the report, all we are saying is that there should be no job loss and whoever that would be displaced by retirement, sacking or whatever, should be paid immediately if they leave service. ''

''But if that should be the case, what happens when we have a full Minister and a Minister of state for one Ministry, what are they ministering? All these should be considered holistically. ''What we are telling our political leaders is that they should first remove the log in their eyes before removing the speck from the eyes of others. They are killing the civil service by the day. Good luck to them with the implementation,''Comrade Ogundiran concluded.

Nigerians have been advised to identify criminals in their communities as a crucial step towards addressing the unending insecurity in the land.

This advice was given on Thursday by the chairman of the Oyo state council of the Nigeria Union of Teachers(NUT), Comrade Raji Oladimeji in a chat at the union's state secretariat in Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria.

''The spate of insecurity in different parts of the country is alarming. We have to go back to the drawing board. That is why we have to appeal to the parents forum to rejig the security apparatus in our various communities. Schools are located within communities. Let us identify those who constitute a nuisance within the community. Let us also be our brother's keeper,'' Comrade Oladimeji stated.

The chairman vowed to pursue the advancement of the welfare of union members to a logical conclusion, saying, ''believe in your leaders, our constant discussion and engagement with the Government is yielding results, the issue of leave bonuses has been resolved, other issues shall be resolved.''

He commended the state government for reinstating 120 primary school teachers who were previously laid off, adding,'', to us a responsible body, it is a welcome decision, it is a good development.''

Members of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions(NASU) have been called upon to be security conscious and report suspicious activities promptly.

This call was made by the chairman of the union in the University College Hospital(UCH)branch Ibadan, Nigeria, Comrade Kehinde Abiona. ''Information is key to all we do.  We must be our brother's keeper. I call on all NASU members and Nigerians to be security conscious and report all suspicious activities around them in good time. We always sensitize and educate our members on basic security measures, Comrade Abiona disclosed. He appealed to the hospital's management and government to speedily facilitate the implementation of all that is due to the workers.''

''Many of the negotiated terms of contracts should be respected. The issue of promotion letters should also be resolved. Our members who have been promoted are yet to receive their promotion letters. And the is also the issue of promotion arrears for 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2022. Another major issue is the lack of working tools for our members. Most of these tools are purchased personally by the workers. They personally purchase their raincoats, torch-lights, cutlasses among others. Of worry is that our members go for self development programs, in the absence of interventions by the management'', Comrade Abiona concluded.

The chairman  fiurther stated that the union  was fully prepared for  the outbreak of the monkeypox and other diseases, stressing that it successfully made provisions for members during the COVID 19 pandemic.

Nigerians are left with no other option but to massively protest against the refusal of the Federal Government to meet up with the demands of the striking university lecturers

Hearing of the suit between Andreww Emelieze and 5 others Vs Alade Bashir and two others begins on Wednesday 8 June 2022 at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria(NICN) Abuja Division(Court 1).

The case with suit No. NICN/ABJ/69/2022 is before the President of the NICN, Hon. Justice B.B Kanyip, PhD FNIALS.

Prior to the enactment of the Constitution (third alteration) Act, 2010, National Industrial Court was established by the Trade Dispute Decree, 1976, where matters relating to labour, trade union dispute, employment, conditions of service, welfare of employees were adjudicated upon.

The court is empowered to adjudicate trade disputes, labour practices, matters related to the Factories Act, Trade Disputes Act, Trade Unions Act, Workmen's Compensations Act and appeals from the Industrial Arbitration Panel.

Read-Helplessness in the Face of Dirt

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-Law Enforcement: The Reactionary Approach

-Government Workers-A Subject of Debate

Nigerian workers deserve the best. But this is elusive. Why is this not so ? The people want to know.

Read-Helplessness in the Face of Dirt

-Legalizing Crime and Criminality

-Landlords and Tenants Associations, Crime and Criminality

-Law Enforcement: The Reactionary Approach

-Government Workers-A Subject of Debate

Workers in Nigeria are now face to face with the fact that those elected(or selected) to defend and protect their interests, now nurture contrary motives.

These motives have over time impoverished the generality of workers in Nigeria and they are complaining bitterly. What is to be done ?

Read-Helplessness in the Face of Dirt

-Legalizing Crime and Criminality

-Landlords and Tenants Associations, Crime and Criminality

-Law Enforcement: The Reactionary Approach

-Government Workers-A Subject of Debate

Nigerian youths have been advised to identify those among them who are engaged in ritual killings for several purposes so that this would not threaten the prospects of those among them who are desirous to vie for political offices in the 2023 general elections.

Read @ Legalizing Crime and Criminality
This advice was given on Monday by an Ex-Officio of the Oyo State Council of the Trade Union Congress(TUC), who is also a former chairman of the union in the state, Comrade Andrew Emelieze.

‘’The youths who ought to confront the wrong system by challenging the evil of ritual killings are part of the evil by their engagement in fraud and other economic crimes. This is glaring in the unabating ritual killings in different parts of the country. To save the situation, the youths must identify and expose those among them who are involved.’’

-Landlords and Tenants Associations, Crime and Criminality
‘’Sadly, a number of those who are labeled elites and others in the lower rung of the social ladder play strategic roles in the unabating crime, in terms of material and moral support. Greed and the blind lust for wealth is also a factor. The affected youths are not acting alone, an unspecified number of older men and women are behind them. This is disturbing,'' Comrade Emelieze noted.

-Law Enforcement: The Reactionary Approach                         -Government Workers-A Subject of Debate

Workers in Nigeria have been called upon to impress it on their labor union leaders not to compromise on the fuel subsidy controversy.

This call was made by an Ex-Officio of the Trade Union Congress, who is also a former Chairman of the union in Oyo state, Comrade Andrew Emelieze.

‘’Workers in Nigeria are pleading with the Nigeria Labor Congress(NLC) and the Trade Union Congress(TUC) not to sell out the workers in any unholy negotiations which we have seen played out several times when strike actions are called and a few hours to the day of protest or rally , the unusual happens. Workers in Nigeria are skeptical about the labor leaders latest moves, but the leaders must prove that they are not sell outs’’, Comrade Emelize concluded.

Read-Legalizing Crime and Criminality

         -Landlords and Tenants Associations, Crime and Criminality

         -Law Enforcement: The Reactionary Approach

          -Government Workers-A Subject of Debate

In the 19th century in England, children and adults of both sexes were subjected to despicable factory labor.
Even though there were several factory-reform movements that led the agitations for an end to inhuman practices in the factories; the stubborn, unscrupulous, and grasping attitude of the factory owners, who were in their private lives often kind fathers and husbands, such as John Bright, resisted reforms in their factories and still engaged children of nine years old to work in these factories.
In the same vein in Nigeria today, the exploitation of labor, children inclusive is now very prominent.
Underaged children engaged by those in the Organized POrivate Sector(OPS) and government contractors are commonplace in a number of states, while these contractors minimize costs by going further to engage cheap labor and procure inferior materials.
However, in England, factories, workshops, and mines reforms became a reality after a long and painful struggle against the resistance of interested parties and the passive attitude of others.
Sadly in Nigeria, despite existing legislation on child labor and exploitation of labor, the ugly acts continue unabated due to the overbearing nature of interested parties who are beneficiaries of government patronage and stakeholders in the Organized Private Sector.
Indeed, the absence of those in the mold of John Doherty, Robert Owen, John Fielden, John Wood, G.S Bull, and Anthony Ashely in the Nigerian space today;  has allowed for the continuation of the anti-labor practices. This is obviously in favor of the government and the OPS, since the emphasis is on the benefits and not the losses.
Unfortunately, the will of the Government at all levels to enforce regulations is almost non-existent and on the other hand slow in realizing its responsibilities.
Not surprisingly,  a strange development that is fast becoming the norm in major cities and towns across Nigeria, is the increasing population of prostitutes, minors inclusive, in newly constructed hotels. This is in addition to the emerging generation of young criminals, who report daily to older men and women in these hotels.

Also read-Legalizing Crime and Criminality

               -Landlords and Tenants Associations, Crime and Criminality

               -Law Enforcement: The Reactionary Approach

               -Government Workers-A Subject of Debate

Civil and public servants in a sizable number of states in Nigeria have continued to grumble over the non-implementation of the 30,000 Naira new minimum wage.
Indeed, State Governors insist that dwindling allocations and revenues are stumbling blocks that have actively prevented the living wage from becoming a reality in the States.
This is just as a big chunk of the monthly allocations continue to drown in the pool of white elephant projects.
Most labor unions have maintained a worrisome silence on the issue, just as workers argued that self-centered interests have overwhelmed the mindset of an unspecified number of labor leaders. The workers are disappointed.

Some State Governors have now coopted the confused and disillusioned workers into revenue generation methods that are synonymous with crime, criminality, and sudden wealth.
The above mentioned among some other reasons have stimulated agitations by the workers in low tones since their acts of omission and commission are better imagined than exposed.
Sadly, mutual suspicion and distrust are the hallmarks of relationships in Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.
Furthermore, the questionable lifestyles of workers in the states have become subjects of debate among all and sundry in these times of excruciating economic hardships.
   

Labor Leaders in Nigeria no longer address issues confronting workers but prefer to behave like politicians.
This assertion was made by an Ex-Officio of the Oyo State Council of the Trade Union Congress(TUC), who is also a former chairman of the union, Comrade Andrew Emelieze.
''Labor leaders are no longer addressing issues confronting workers, rather labor leaders have shown that they are no different from politicians who use diversionary tactics to blindfold the people of today's realities. Labor leaders now use Mayday to deceive workers, this is so because Mayday has been turned into a mere jamboree. Except the workers correct the current situation, the present crop of labor leaders in the country are leading workers astray,'' Comrade Emelieze warned.

The five buses converted from petrol to gas engines were given to the Nigeria Labor Congress(NLC) and the promise of additional 100 buses by the Federal Government is an attempt to sustain the monthly increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit(PMS).
This is the position of the All Workers Convergence(AWC) through its National Coordinator, Comrade Andrew Emelieze.
''It is quite obvious that the Federal Government is attempting to bribe the labor leaders in order to silence them so that the Government would be able to realize their ugly policy of deregulation. Considering the fact that the Government has made it a culture to always increase the pump price of PMS monthly, accepting these vehicles from the Government would mean accepting the continuous increment in the pump price of PMS by the Government'', Comrade Emelieze stated.

The Federal and State Governments in Nigeria are already tinkering with the idea of cutting the salaries of workers in addition to reducing the size of the workforce. This is coming at a time that a sizable number of labor leaders in Nigeria prefer government patronage to pursuing the cause of workers. Sadly, workers have continued to lament that the meager salaries they earn do not take them home at the end of the month. A cross section of Nigerians believe that any attempt to cut salaries and retrench could have very negative effects on the various sectors of the economy. In this interview, the Founder, Spiritual Head and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke opines

The Federal and State Governments are considering cutting workers’ salaries and also reducing the size of the workforce. Is this the right time for such ?

Cutting salaries can be necessary, if government can transparently publish the details of the expenditure so far of managing the coronavirus pandemic which is yet to be effective for people to sympathize and identify with government.

Equally, government needs to show us various foreign grants given the country as interventions from international sources as well as the donations from sympathetic Nigerians.

This attitude will boost transparency essence in governance for the people’s loyalty and trust to be enjoyed. Suffice it now to say, that the lock down , stay-at-home directive and the partial palliative measures from government as well as the skeletal services rendered by workers must have amounted to a lot of waste on the part of government.

It would be against the natural law of social justice to effect any anti-workers policy, this period when the coronavirus pandemic is yet to abate. What Government should preoccupy itself with presently, is how to get more effective measure in curtailing the alarming rate of the pandemic.

Presently, government's handling of the pandemic without the accompanying positive results from the members of the public must also be of serious concern.

Government has the responsibility of encouraging stakeholders in the religious sphere to promote a Godly state of piety and sacredness of the houses of worship for the clerics to be able to seek and have divine intervention over this matter, with a lot of work that is yet to be done on this by government and all in the religious sphere.

Government policy must not drive Nigerians into another state of panic through unwarranted cutting of salaries of workers and retrenchment. Nigeria is yet to reach the sustainable development line as defined by the United Nations. The whole world has tagged Nigeria as the international headquarters of poverty and corruption, while both the Federal and State Governments attest to the fact that most Nigerians are in the pathetic class of the poorest of the poor. An attempt to cut salaries or downsize will ever aggravate this pathetic economic condition, which may spur most people into anti-societal norms and the breakdown of law and order; as is been experienced across the country-insurgency, armed robbery, kidnapping, prostitution, pedophilia, rape and defilement. The source of all these could partly be traced to the physiological needs of the people which government is yet to address, even under a democratic principle of equity and justice.

If government is to make up for its losses during the coronavirus pandemic, the sacrifice must include the drastic downward review of the salaries and allowances of the political class in government and the Ministries, Departments and Agencies, while it could be extended to the salaries of workers in a lower proportion.

Instead of retrenching workers, reforms based on accounts of misconduct,as must have been reported through Service Compact with All Nigerians(SERVICOM) and The Anti- Corruption and Transparency Unit(ACTU) over the years, such workers that could be classified as the dandruff of the system, are to be revisited without prejudice or favor.

Retirement age could be revisited for fresh graduates to be able to have employment in multiples to fill the vacuum of vacancies that must have been created through the exercise. This shall restore sanity in the system.

The aspect of reviving the existing Technical colleges and the re-orientation need to produce capable craftsmen, who would become job creators with the assistance of the Bank of Industry should be given priority.

 Above all, Nigerians must be ready to make sacrifices, that would not open the way for avoidable hardships. To this extent government should embark on cutting all wastage and also blocking all leakages.

Also read-Nigerians No Longer Trust Their Leaders-Prof Olagoke- Click here-https://bit.ly/3hGRaV2

The All Workers Convergence(AWC) has called on the Federal Government in Nigeria to give cogent reasons why the looming sack of Federal workers cannot be postponed.

The AWC made this call through its National Coordinator, Comrade Andrew Emelieze.

‘’The question workers in Nigeria are asking in all these notification of the implementation of the Oronsaye report, is that the workers that shall be affected are they not working ? Is Nigeria broke ? Where is the billions of Dollars in the foreign reserve ? This is the period that Government is supposed to be protecting lives and livelihood. Why should it now focus on the implementation of the Oronsaye report. Workers in the country need answers to all these questions’’, Comrade Emelieze concluded.

The All Workers Convergence(AWC) has called on labor leaders in Nigeria to redeem their image  by achieving the new national minimum wageto regain workers confidence.

The AWC made this call through its National Coordinator, Comrade Andrew Emelieze.

The All Workers Convergence(AWC) has declared that the non-implementation of the new national minimum wage of N30,000 is capable of discouraging high productivity among workers.

The AWC made this declaration through its National Coordinator, Comrade Andrew Emelieze.

''What the Minister of Labor and the Federal Government do not know is that the poor pay of workers and the non-implementation of the N30,000 new national minimum wage  will not encourage  the high productivity of workers and this is also an indication of the failure of governance.''

''The pronouncement of the Minister of Labor, Dr. Chris Ngige is very unfortunate, though we are aware that workers of Grade Levels 01 to 06 in the Federal Civil Service have had their salaries adjusted with a very meager amount. To us in the AWC, the payment is just an award from government and until the new minimum wage issue is resolved, implementation is yet to commence'', Comrade Emelieze state.

The All Workers Convergence(AWC) has declared that  the scheduled meeting between members of the National Joint Civil Service Negotiating Council and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation is inimical to the interests of Nigerian workers.

The AWC made this declaration known through its National Coordinator, Comrade Andrew Emelieze.

‘’Meeting at this very critical period is very dangerous for the labour movement and Nigerian workers. We are afraid, government is attempting to buy over the labour leaders and so after the meeting labour leaders would start singing another song.’’

‘’We therefore urge Nigerian workers to be ready to take personal action in their various work places, while the AWC insists that workers would never accept another table that does not reflect the interest of Nigerian workers’’.

‘’To this end, we have started mobilizing in Ibadan, to lock up the Federal Secretariat complex indefinitely on Monday 29th July, 2019 in protest against the non-implementation of the new national minimum wage and insecurity in the country, if the meeting on Wednesday between the labour leaders and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation is not positive.’’

‘’The AWC calls on workers across the federation to convoke meetings and decide their fate, irrespective of the agitations by the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) and the Trade Union Congress(TUC), Comrade Emelieze stated.

The Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita recently disclosed that the workers were making unrealistic demands.

“President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to implementing the new national minimum wage and that is why the presidential committee on the consequential adjustment arising from the minimum wage has been sitting to deliberate on it.

“And in fact, it has sat with the union leadership within the public service to come out with the consequential adjustment arising from the new minimum wage. There were a few, what I will call unrealistic demands from the unions’’, Mrs. Oyo-Ita stated.

The Head of Service also disclosed that the new national minimum wage was targeted at the low income earners, and as a result the Federal Government would not allow the demands of the Senior Staff unions to affect its implementation.