ABUJA — THE Canadian Labour Congress has advised the National Assembly not to pass the Trade Union Amendment Act but allow the tripartite review of labour laws being co-ordinated by the International Labour Organisation technical committee to conclude its assignment.
In a letter to the Senate President, Adolphus Wabara, Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abdul Ningi and the National Assembly dated September 1, 2004, the president of the Canadian Labour Congress, Kenneth Georgetti noted that the bill would weaken the labour movement and deny workers their right to strike.
He added: “By weakening the labour movement in this regard, the new legislation would also deprive millions of Nigerians from the NLC’s ability to carry on its educational and social role in fighting HIV/AIDS, child labour, gender inequality and poverty,” adding “I appeal to your commitment to peace, democracy and the respect of international law while considering the long term consequences of the draft bill as it stands.”
The CLC President added, “I appeal to you to resist pressure brought upon the National Assembly in order to rapidly pass this bill and to rather encourage the Federal Government to continue cooperating with the ILO to review labour laws”. Mr. Georgetti, said, “the draft bill enabling the deregistration of the NLC consitutes a serious violation of trade union rights, notably the right of freedom of association. It also severely restricts the right to strike.”
The Canadian Labour Congress president advised: “We therefore respectfully urge you to return the bill to the drawing table and await the outcome of the review of the Technical Committee. The conclusions of the Technical Committee should then enable the Federal Government and the National Assembly to adopt a global approach that the social partners can broadly adhere to, in line with the democratic principles”.
The CLC which marked its Labour Day on September 1, 2004, agreed with the submissions of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) which stated, “correctly pointed out that the legislative changes being contemplated are against international labour standards and will certainly make the Nigerian Government censurable before the entire committtee of global institutions with mandate to maintain labour and human rights standards.”
Georgetti stated, “As Canadian workers celebrate Labour Day, rejoicing for the better lives the unions helped achieve in Canada, the draft bill has raised fears in the Canadian trade union movement that the Nigerian Federal Government has embarked upon a vindictive action against the NLC following its repeated calls for, amongst other things, the control of the price of petroleum products.”
Meanwhile, sources in Abuja said African Labour Centres scheduled to attend the Employment and Poverty Alleviation Summit in Ougadougou, Burkina Faso have agreed to take President Obasanjo up on the trade union bill which is designed to weaken the trade unions and abolish the Nigeria Labour Congress.
