Labour centres hinge better leadership on unity among selves
By Kayode Falade
REPRESENTATIVES of the nation's three Labour centres were yesterday unequivocal in their recognition of the need for unity among trade unions in Nigeria.
But they stressed that this should not be through coercion.
The Labour leaders were reacting to a lecture titled "Prospects and Challenges of Trade Union Unity in Nigeria" by Dr. Funmi Adewumi of the Industrial Relations Department, University of Lagos, at the eighth yearly Kolagbodi Memorial Lecture held at the Travel Inn, Ikeja, Lagos.
The representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Congress of Free Trade Unions of Nigeria (CFTU) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) also agreed that the junior/senior staff dichotomy currently causing brouhaha in the trade unions was a natural phenomenon which would only be brought under control by time.
Emma Ogugbuajah, representing NLC President Adams Oshiomhole, said his union agreed in principle to "the need for it to relate decently with other bodies for the struggle of human emancipation."
Ogugbuajah declared that though unity was important, merging of the unions was not the only way it could be accomplished.
He stressed that the most important thing needed by Nigerian workers was leadership. He went down memory lane by citing the era of Pa Michael Imoudu.
"Imoudu and co never had unity but they had leadership. What is the attitude of the average Nigerian worker whether juniors or senior? This should be the springboard," Ogugbuaja, who is also the general secretary of the National Union of Chemical, Footwear, Leather Products and Rubber Employees (NUCAMPFLRE), said.
John Kolawole, general secretary of TUC, corroborated the NLC representative by maintaining that unity had "nothing to do with the restructuring of the trade unions."
He however argued that though unity was desired, it should not be coerced.
His words: "Unity cannot be forced. Situation will work it out. Let situation dictate and whether we like it not we shall be forced to unite."
Kolawole argued that a time would come when some unions would go extinct or die naturally.
He alluded to some unions perceived as belonging to junior workers, such National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and National Union of Banks, Insurance and other Financial Institution Employees (NUBIFE) that had been recording dwindling membership strength while their senior counterparts, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and Association of Senior Staff of Banks Insurance and other Financial Institutions Employees (ASSBIFE) have been growing.
Didi Adodo of the CFTU, while agreeing with his colleagues, called for the "reform of obsolete and obnoxious Labour and Trade Union Acts, Trade Dispute Act, Labour Act, Factories Act, the Workmen's Compensation Act, Wages Board, Industrial Councils Act and a further review of the Pension Act, 2004."
Adodo described the Nigerian Pension Act as the worst in Africa.
The CFTU general secretary also called for the review of the powers vested in the Labour Minister to determine the centre to which a union could affiliate, describing it as unconstitutional.
Adodo argued that not even under the military did the Labour Minister exercise such absolute discretion.
Earlier, Chief Frank Ovie Kokori, a former NUPENG scribe, who chaired the occasion, submitted that the government would prefer a weak trade union to a strong, virile one.
Kokori, combining his role as chairman with that of a moderator, warned Labour leaders of the danger inherent in selling out against the masses.
"No government in the world will support a strong trade union. There is no way a president will support a Labour congress unless you are a complete sell-out. And if you do that, they will catch you. As long as you re a Labour leader, you must be on the side of the people," Kokori warned.
Also at the yearly lecture to celebrate the life and achievement of the late Dr. M.E. Kolagbodi, a foremost trade unionist and educationist, were the representative of Friendrich Ebert Foundation (FEF), co-sponsors of the event, Dr. Harald Bammel, Prof. G.G. Darah, who represented Sir Tom Anioku, Delta State Works Commissioner and Baba Omojola, a veteran trade unionist who represented Dr. Abayomi Ferreira, chairman of the Kolagbodi Memorial Foundation.
Others were Chief P.A.K. Adewusi the national president of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Abiodun Aremi, the Kolagbodi Memorial Foundation executive secretary, Femi Aborishade and a host of Labour leaders and activists.
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