Labour Bill: NLC Goes International
By Chris Nwachuku
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) may have taken its campaign for the withdrawal of the labour bill to the international community as it had requested the International trade union centers to mount pressure on the Federal Government to drop the bill currently before the National Assembly. Labour also said that it resorted to lobbying the National Assembly in order to enlighten the lawmakers on the danger the draft bill poses to the current democratic project.
However in a swift response to NLC's request, the International Confederation of Free Trade Union (ICFTU), representing 151 million workers in 233 affiliated organisations in 152 countries yesterday urged the Nigerian government to withdraw the draft bill, which it noted will not only deregister the its affiliate, NLC, but also impose severe restrictions on the right to strike and align the labour laws with international standard.
Addresssing some officials of international labour centers, NLC President Adams Oshiomhole said although the congress is uncertain of the lawmakers position it would not relent in its effort and urged the workers of the world not to restrict the battle to that of the working people of Nigeria
"We are lobbying parliament not to pass this law as it is proposed. In fact, the draft law has the potential of violating the constitution of the country. The Nigerian government needs to recognise the workers' right to belong to their trade union of choice, as enshrined in the constitution. The draft law has potential to undermine this right.
"We are still unsure how the National Assembly will react to this draft but nevertheless we will be lobbying at all levels to ensure that it realises the damage which will be done to the democratic process if it is indeed passed," he said.
Oshiomhole disclosed that the workers in Nigeria need the assistance of the international trade union movement to pressure the Nigerian government to withdraw the bill which he alleged was a product of vindictiveness.
According to him, popular general strikes, supported by workers, and other civil society groups made government jittery, hence, the introduction of the bill. He said that government estimation is that the bill will weaken the NLC and its opposition voice.
"Current talk of deregistering the NLC is little more than an act of vindictiveness because the government simply feels that our trade union organisation is getting too strong. They believe that the existence of several federations will weaken the voice of protest," he added.
The NLC leader also denied insinuation that the congress is a product of military creation. He said that government only enacted law to safeguard the NLC which he affirmed was formed by workers.
On multi-labour center, Oshiomhole disclosed that NLC has no problem with amending the law to allow the emergence of new trade unions, saying that the virtual prohibition of other trade unions in Nigeria was not NLC demand.
The ICFTU in a statement on its website requested President Obasanjo to respect workers right and ensure that Nigerian labour laws conform with international standards.
"As the world largest trade union organisation, the ICFTU is calling on President Obasanjo's government to bring its labour legislation into line with international standards. Urging the Nigerian authorities to ensure full respect for workers' rights, the ICFTU is also urging the country's federal government to allow a technical committee, set up in cooperation with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), to proceed with its tripartite consultation work and to support it in its work towards ending violations of labour rights in Nigeria"
The body supporting the preposition of NLC said the four million-member NLC is apparently being targeted following its repeated calls for fair prices of petroleum products.
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