The organised labour has committed to reject any attempt by foreign powers to create division between the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in order to diminish movement for worker welfare.
This comes as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has strongly condemned the government’s and security agencies’ ongoing intervention in the activities of trade unions in the country, particularly their funding and internal disagreements.
When he received the new leadership of the Radio, Television, and Arts Workers Union, RATTAWU, in his office, Comrade Festus Osifo, President of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, of Nigeria, assured that the leadership of the two labour unions would work together to protect the workers’ interests.
Comrade Osifo, who was represented by the TUC Secretary General, Dr. Nuhu Toro, also committed to continue working with RATTAWU.
He said, “The TUC believes in solidarity. We believe in collective action, and we are confident that together, we can amplify our voices and strengthen our advocacy for justice, equity, and improved welfare for all workers in Nigeria.
“We are aware that sometimes management and employers try to divide our ranks, which you captured as divide and rule. We are not also ignorant of those tactics, but I would like to assure you that together, we can surmount all of those challenges and ensure that we get value for our working people.”
Earlier, at the NLC headquarters, President Comrade Joe Ajaero, while welcoming freshly elected RATTAWU officials in Abuja, described the scenario as “unheard of” in other areas of the world.
Ajaero, who hinted that the International Labour Organisation (ILO) was closely monitoring the Nigerian government’s interference in union activities, insisted that trade unions were independent organisations guided by their own internal rules in accordance with ILO principles that protect trade unions from government interference in their formation, administration, and operations.
Ajaero also criticised the government’s interference in Nigerian workers’ funds with the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) and the National Pension Commission (PenCom), referring to security agents’ involvement in the internal disagreement within RATTAWU a few months ago.
He said, “Trade union organisations are independent organisations. They have their way; they have their own rules. The way security agencies are moving into union activities It’s unheard of, and it’s condemnable.
“You can’t see their presence except when you invite them to bring protection at the venue for them to enter into your hall and be interpreting your constitution. And on the day that you have your conference, they will be inviting you all over.
“What is the reason for that? If the election result is not correct, people go to the National Industrial Court (NIC) and Industrial Arbitration Panel (IAP) to seek nullification.
“This is an independent organisation; the ILO is clear about it. They avoid government interference in what they are doing, so what are the police and the DSS doing?”
“The issue of state interference in labour activities is getting out of hand. We raised this before, and we are raising it again.
“The same way the Nigerian state is interfering with NSITF funds and PENCOM funds. That interference—even the ILO is looking at it. Trade union organisations are independent organisations; they have their way, and they have their own rules that operate, but if there is an infraction, any of the parties can seek redress, which is what we expect but not to disrupt what we are doing. I don’t think that that is in order.”
Ajaero also decried the activities of some unionists who have developed the habit of inviting security agencies with the intention of disrupting sessions for selfish reasons.
“For us members that write to them to bring them in, what is your intention? Because it’s only when we write them to come and stop this conference that they will come. But why would you write them?
“If you know you are not going to win the election, you allow others to go, or you increase your campaign.”
The NLC president challenged RATTAWU’s new leadership with working to unionise private broadcast stations and theatre artists, who he observed were in huge numbers around the country, as well as developing a framework for greater member welfare.
“The number of private radio stations and TV stations in this country is unimaginable in the 36 states and Abuja. Let’s unionise them.
“Every organisation, every union ceases to exist the very moment they stop unionising. You cannot be dependent on the FRCN and the NTA; more stations are out there, even art workers in all the states, so why are you not playing among the first three or four in NLC? Because your resources are there, and you’re not picking it.”
The NLC President, who warned the incoming President of RATTAWU not to violate his predecessor’s trust in him, asked him to look after the union and promised to support the union’s aim of establishing the RATTAWU radio and TV station.
Prince Emeka Kalu, the recently elected President of RATTAWU, solicited the assistance of the NLC and TUC in his quest for a particular media salary structure that recognises the sacrifices and hard work of radio and television workers in the timely delivery of factual and objective messages.
“These image makers, those who shine the torch for others to see, ought not to be walking through the shadowy parts of life as themselves but as the light they radiate. We cannot be playing this front-line role with essential service delivery we render.
“We do not know what Saturday is, we don’t have weekends, we don’t have celebrations. We are on duty on public holidays and where there’s crisis and at the end we do not have a special salary structure for us.
“We are going to pursue that vigorously and we pray that you are going to assist us in that. Ensure that we get special media salary structure for our members and for special cultural structure for them.”
He also urged the leaders of the two labour unions to collaborate and reject any government efforts that could lead to a split in the centres’ ranks.
Kalu, a broadcaster with the Anambra Broadcasting Service, promised RATTAWU members that they would receive their rebates on a monthly basis but challenged the chapters to ensure constant remittances to national leadership.
