Onyebuchi Ezigbo for Abuja report say Nigeria Labour Congress don file petition for International Labour Conference wey dey happen for Geneva, Switzerland. Dem take complaint against federal government and some states for wetin dem call anti-labour practices.
NLC president Joe Ajaero present address where e talk say workers for Nigeria dey face wahala for right to organise and Collective Bargaining Convention from 1949. According to Ajaero, trade union leaders dey get threat, assault, intimidation, arrest, and victimisation just because dem dey do legitimate union work.
E say, “We appear before this Committee because workers and their organizations in Nigeria continue to face persistent violations of the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949.” Ajaero add say these violations no be small thing, but pattern of interference, intimidation, violence, and discrimination against workers.
NLC request the ILC Committee to find Nigeria guilty for breaking obligations under Articles 1, 2, and 4 of Convention No. 98. Dem also ask Committee to urge Nigeria government to end occupation of NLC Secretariat for Edo State and return control to Congress. Dem want government to stop interfering inside trade union internal affairs and work with legitimate NLC leadership for the state.
NLC also want Committee to tell Nigeria to respect court decisions about trade union leadership disputes, including those wey concern NURTW. Dem demand guarantee for safety and protection of union leaders and members, plus independent investigation into anti-union violence and intimidation. NLC further ask ILO to help set timetable for labour law reforms to make Nigeria comply with Convention No. 98.
Giving examples, NLC say for November 2023, while Ajaero dey lead legitimate union mission for Imo State to secure implementation of 2021 collective agreement, dem attack and injure am seriously. E say di attack happen because e dey do lawful union work about pension arrears, non-payment of salaries and allowances, and harassment of workers. No effective investigation or prosecution follow, even after dem give assurance.
“Such impunity sends a chilling message to workers and trade union representatives throughout Nigeria and undermines the protection guaranteed under Article 1 of Convention No. 98,” Ajaero talk.
E also mention say recently for Osun State, agents of state show trade union leaders gory pictures of im beaten and bleeding body to scare dem from continuing legitimate union action. NLC say these incidents be part of broader pattern wey NLC and ITUC document for many years, including intimidation, harassment, and physical attacks on union leaders; interference in union elections and leadership structures; excessive deployment of security forces during lawful strikes; and restrictions on workers’ organizations to operate freely.
