COVID-19: We’ll Oppose Employers Using Cover Of Pandemic To Sack Workers -NLC President

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday rose in defence of workers facing possible sacking by their employers over Covid-19 impact, saying that the union would no longer condone it.

President of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba, stated this in an interview with THE WHISTLER during the Emergency Central Working Committee (CWC) of the NLC, held at the Labour House in Abuja.

The meeting was also a reception in honour of the outgoing Country Director of International Labour Organisations (ILO), Dennis Zulu; outgoing Ambassador of Norway to Nigeria, Jens -Petter Kjemprud; and that of CUBA, Clara Pulido-Escandell, amongst others.

Wabba said the NLC would take on headlong, employers of labour who hid under the cover of the pandemic to lay off staff, in both private and public sectors.

He said: “We have intervened of recent in the aviation sector, banking sector, in the manufacturing sector, many many industries that have tried to use the excuse of COVID-19 to lay off workers, without recourse to the process of social dialogue. We have actually resisted that and it’s part of what we’re going to look at. We’ll take reports from our unions and also from our states and we’ll be able to prioritise some of the engagements that we’re going to take immediate, the one in the mid tern and long time plans that we need to engage. Basically it’s cheering news for Nigerian workers. We will continue to work together to protect their interests.”

He also added, “And I think having this meeting at this point in time when workers across different sectors are going through different challenges, we are going to make far reaching pronouncement especially to the extent that we’re going to engage employers of labour that have tried to undermine the fundamental rights of workers including state governments. You remembered we have written to two state governors and some have responded and some have not been able to respond.

“We’re going to take them headlong because we believe that there must be decency. People must respect the rule of law especially people in authority because we can not undermine our laws, undermine the interests of Nigerian workers and then we fold our arms and continue to lament. It’s time for action, and in proceeding with these actions we thought that we consult our organs and then come out with far reaching decisions that will be able to address the fundamental issues that are affecting the Nigerian workers and pensioners.”

On how far labour had gone with the review of its law, the NLC President said: “We have had a retreat on it in Lagos, the tripartite, federal ministry of labour, organised labour and employers organisation as provided in Convention 144 and what remains is validation and also some input and thereafter will be transmitted to the National Assembly. We have paid some advocacy visits to the national assembly, including seeing the speaker to try to facilitate the process. Because some of the provisions certainly needs to be reviewed.

“So this is where we are. Expectations are high especially on the side of the Nigerian workers to be able to review the laws and give them more protection and importantly also to be in conformity with the new instruments of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in terms of global standards.”

He further disclosed that every union was requested to make inputs, which explained why it was a tripartite process.

According to him, the inputs will be harmonised, in addition to looking at the emerging issues in the world of work, accommodating the provisions of new conventions, particularly the issue of child labour, master-servant relationship.

On why the send forth was organised for the ambassadors, Wabba said it was because of their relationship with the country and NLC in particular.

He said: “We have had a long standing relationships with these ambassadors. That of Norway, he had been a trade unionist for the past 40 years. And Labour Organisation (LO) Norway is one of the affiliates of international trade union confederation, where am opportuned to provide leadership. So clearly speaking it’s because of that relationship and even on arrival in Nigeria, that relationship has continued and even going back he has worked in many countries, including Ethiopia before coming here. So that relationship has continued because of the fact that he has his roots, including his parents. Economically too, Norway is one country that is doing well, and more. These are things that are very dear to organised labour.

“Also with South Africa, we have a very long history with KOSATO and also NLC, There is also a symbiotic relationship between ANC and KOSATO. Even the present South African president is from the trade unions, the mines union. So there has been that working relationship. Most of their ambassadors are drawn from the trade unions.”

He concluded: “In the issue of Cuba, there is a long standing relationship between Cuba and Nigeria and particularly with the trade unions in Africa. We have continued in the struggle with them, during the challenging period of apartheid and independence in South Africa and also in Nigeria. So that relationship has continued. We have this very special relationship with some ambassadors.”