International Pressure Mounts on FG
S/Africa, Ghana unions intervene
Labour Bill
By Chris Nwachuku with agency report
The battle of wits between the Federal Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over the Labour Bill being processed by the National Assembly has shifted to the international arena as labour organisations in several African nations have started mounting pressure on government not to go ahead with the proposed law.
In one of such interventions from the international arena, Conference of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and the Ghana Trade Unions are said to have contacted the Federal Government and top business concerns operated by nationals from their countries on behalf of NLC.
COSATU's secretary general, Zwelinzima Vavi said the union would compile a list of local companies operating in Nigeria and lobby them to put pressure on the government to withdraw the bill.
Vavi spoke at a meeting which lasted two days in Johannesburg between his union, the NLC and the Ghana Trade Union to discuss "issues of common concern". Vavi said it is important that the Nigerian government, which currently holds the chairmanship of the African Union should lead by example.
He said among other things that the unions would write a letter to President Olusegun Obasanjo and ask him to withdraw the bill.
COSATU also plans to put pressure on the South African government and the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), which advocates freedom of association, to remind the Nigerian government to abide by democratic principles.
But when contacted to comment on COSATU's promise to use South African companies operating in Nigeria in lobbying the government, MTN group executive, corporate affairs, in South Africa, Yvonne Muthien, said the company, which might be affected by the Labour Bill provisions as it operates in Nigeria, could not comment as COSATU had not yet approached it on the issue.
Also, the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), representing over 148 million trade unionists in 152 countries has in a letter to President Olusegun Obasanjo signed by its General Secretary, Guy Ryder, stated that the labour bill is not only against the conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), but put Nigerian workers at risks.
The Labour Bill which has passed second reading in the upper legislative house, seeks to proscribe Nigeria Labour Congress, outlaw strike, impose restrictions on the administration of the check-off system, and vest on the Minister of labour the discretion to register a new labour centre.
It added that the concerns of international workers movement is the need for the proposed law to benefit from the principle of tripartite consultation and for any amendment to be consistent with ILO conventions.
"The ICFTU has carefully studied your excellency's reply to the African Regional Organisation (ICFTU-AFRO), which has not, however, allayed the international trade union movement's deep concern about the proposed amendment and the unilateral process through which the government is driving it," it stated.
ICFTU noted that among the concerns of the body is the provisions in the Act which was designed to outlaw the NLC, curb the right to strike and prescribe renewed application for membership by workers who are already members of existing trade union organisations.
"The legislative changes being contemplated are against international labour standards and will certainly make the Nigerian government censurable before the entire committee of global institutions with a mandate to maintain labour and human standards," it stated.
It added that apart from the fact that the provisions poses a serious risk to workers and the trade union rights, the unilateral approach of the Nigerian government "regrettably departs from the time honoured principle of tripartite consultation, enshrined in convention 144 of ILO" which Nigeria ratified in 1994.
On Wednesday, the ILO regional office at the public hearing by the Senate Committee on Labour in Abuja advised the Federal Government to pursue lasting peace by embracing the all-inclusive reform programme being implemented by the three social partners in the labour sector with technical assistance from its personnel.
However, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), the umbrella body of some senior staff workers has commended the National Assembly for conducting the on-going public hearing on the Labour Reform Bill.
In a press release in Lagos yesterday, the Secretary General of TUC, Comrade John Kolawole urged the National Assembly to remain neutral in its deliberations on the bill and to ensure that a decision that will be in the interest of workers would be taken on the law.
The congress described the approach of the National Assembly towards the bill as constitutional since it allows all stakeholders to air their views.
"TUC commends the approach the National Assembly is adopting on the issue of the Labour Reform Bill before it so far, and would want it to balance its decision especially as it affects the grey areas.
"TUC believes in justice and constitutional procedure of doing things as the National Assembly is presently going through the reading processes and the public hearing which allow stakeholders to present their cases.
"TUC wants the National Assembly to be objective and arrive at a decision that will be in the interest of all workers and other stakeholders," it stated.
The congress also maintained that the present reform bill cannot prevent labour from collaborating and acting jointly and urged those who want to unite to come together after the law has been passed.
"The TUC is opposed to a situation where a particular labour centre is made the landlord and others tenants, and therefore advocate a level playing field for all," it noted.
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