JOHN NWOKOCHA writes that as Nigerian workers mark this year’s May Day, challenges ranging from job insecurity, unpaid salaries, violation of workers’ rights and inflation, occasioned by dwindling economy have continued to confront them, coupled with unfulfilled promises of a better welfare by governments
The Federal government has declared today, May 1 as public holiday to celebrate the 2018 Workers’ Day.
May Day celebration
The government in a statement issued Friday in Abuja and signed by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Dr M. B. Umar, “the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, who made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, congratulated Nigerian workers on their loyalty, strength of character, hard work, sacrifice and dedication to building a greater Nigeria”.
The statement reads: “He appreciated the central role workers play in government activities and decisions, and for keeping faith with the present administration in its resolve to build a better Nigeria. “Gen. Dambazau solicited the continuous support of Nigerian Workers in government’s effort to re-position the economy and uphold the shared legacy of all Nigerians. The Minister wishes all Nigerian workers a successful May Day celebration”.
For workers across the globe, May Day, or Labour Day, is work free day. And for Nigerian workers May Day is fast becoming synonymous with struggles for better welfare as well as rights and trade union issues rather than a day off for rest.
In view of these, to Nigerian workers May Day is annual ritual while their counterparts across the world celebrate Labour Day.
The average Nigerian worker faces many challenges ranging from job insecurity, non-payment of salaries sometime, nine months arrears of salaries and victimization.
In celebrating this year’s May Day the Nigerian workers are contending with poor salaries and wages in the face of inflation, violations of workers’ rights as guaranteed by both local and international laws.
Inflation, minimum wage implementation
Some of the issues that will feature in this year’s workers’ struggle are minimum wage and inflation. Across the length and breadth of Nigeria the workers are complaining about hardship and high cost of goods and services occasioned by inflation. As the workers mark May Day today, the workers’ leaders under the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) should demand the implementation of the new minimum wage across the states of Nigeria.
Presently, Nigerian workers earn a minimum wage of N18, 000. During 2017 May Day celebration, the NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, had said: “Workers have high expectations on the issue of the review of minimum wage and we expect a positive pronouncement from the Federal Government. And possibly have a timeline when this thing can be concluded. Also, the government have been saying we would soon get out of recession, it is something that the workers are looking out to so that there would be security of employment, because for now most of the private sector establishment because of the challenges of the economy; there is daily threat to job losses. So those are the two issues that are topmost in our agenda.” Wabba said inflation had taken away the gains of the N18, 000 minimum wage, stressing “workers are now living at the mercy of the bourgeoisie”.
The NLC president also stated that “At the state level where salaries were not paid, we have taken decision that any state where they owe three months liabilities they should no longer render their services. We have made formal demands to the Federal Government and we have been very consistent that those issues must be resolved”.
Labour minister
Also during last year’s May Day celebration, the Labour and Employment Minister, Dr Chris Ngige, in his message to Nigerian workers, saluted the resilience of the Nigerian workers and hoped for a better future in the face of the current economic challenges facing the country.
Ngige said: “The Federal Government is not unaware of the economic challenges facing Nigerian workers in the public, the private and informal sector of the economy. We appreciate your resilience and hope for better days ahead”.
On the issue of minimum wage, hear Wabba: “The issue of minimum wage remains sacrosanct because of the fact that by law and practice, the review is due and overdue. I have said clearly that we cannot guarantee any industrial peace any longer if necessary steps are not taken by government to try to resolve this issue before the next May Day. This is very clear because as we said, we have sent formal notice of demand as required by law to government to try to constitute the Committee.
“Essentially, the committee to dialogue and negotiate the minimum wage which is supposed to be tripartite has not been set up. If it is set up, all of you will be aware of the membership and also their terms of reference and the timeline given to them to actually dispose with this very vital issue.
“The issue is so sensitive because of the fact that a lot of our members have actually been subjected to a lot of difficulties because the purchasing power of ordinary Nigerian workers has been reduced to virtually nothing because of the inflation in the system, the free fall of the naira and to compound it with high cost of goods and services. More so, most workers now cannot meet up with their daily needs, they can’t pay their rents, they can’t send their children to school.
“It is even more compounded because cost of goods and services have gone up. So, side by side with the issue of fighting corruption is also for workers to be paid a decent wage that they can be able to have a meaningful living, so, this is the challenge,”
The NLC president decried the worsening economic situation in the country saying the Nigerian workers are worse off in any atmosphere of economic uncertainty. “Certainly the workers have been at the receiving end because of the way the economy has been going down; some have lost their jobs, some could not get regular pay and a lot of challenges”. Nevertheless, he urged the workers to kept faith and continue to contribute their quota to national development.
Unpaid pension
But added to the problems of the workers is backlog of unpaid pension. Speaking on the issue National Chairman, Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Dr Abel Afolayan, had said that the issue of minimum pension would be their major demand at the May Day rallies.
Afolayan bemoaned the situation where some pensioners are still collecting as little as N4,000 to N5,000 pension as of today.
Buhari’s electioneering promises to workers
It will be recalled that few days before the 2015 general elections, President Muhammadu Buhari, then flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was guest speaker at the 11 quadrennial conference of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja, where he addressed the delegates.
Buhari, according to Blueprint checks promised to resuscitate industries, create jobs for youth and women, and provide security for lives and property. He also promised to revive industries and implement labour-friendly laws, if elected as president.
He had said “As most of you know, I am not a novice when it comes to participating in the struggle to deliver Nigeria from the power of darkness. Many times, my efforts have earned me the wrath and vengeance of crooks and thieves. What I want to assure everyone in this room and across the length and breadth of this vast country is that I will do my best for you”,
“Our plan to restore good governance, efficient and effective public sector stands to benefit the country’s labour force perhaps more than any other subgroup.
“An APC government will protect and respect labourer’s right to organize, guaranteeing the rights to collective bargaining in good faith in law. We will promote new skills, equip youth for a modern economy through a network of local technology institutions to provide free training in courses for the unemployed”.
