Follow Us on Google
This article would have appeared last Sunday to tally with the Labour movement’s celebration of Labour Day in the country next day, May 1, which was Monday. I am aware the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has a new President in the person of irrepressible Comrade Joe Ajaero, who has been around and very active; a veteran of many fights. I decided to wait to see if his speech on this occasion will touch on new areas. Joe eventually did.
Was I disappointed? Yes, I was, if truth be told. The new helmsman said so much but critical review of all that he said would still leave you with the conclusion that it is all about the old system and pattern, same platitudes, repetitions of old cliches. It was about the old style of howling, pretensions to puritanism, mouthing of liberal democratic core principles, pseudo-revolutionary postures and the familiar line of few ill-digested jibes at some policy positions of the government in power, and finally lamentation over poor salary structure, delayed wage payments in some cases and demand for increase in salaries in view of prevailing inflation.
Usually the matter ends there and everybody goes their way till another occasion or year when it will become necessary to meet again, wear uniforms and yarn. This one may well go the same way except Ajaero gets struck by new consciousness. The objective to midwife Labour unionism was not to play politics, it was far from this: to protect the worker from any form of exploitation, no matter how minor, from mean employers and their managers. The presumption which with the benefit of hindsight one could say is right was that employers on their own are incapable of treating their workers right. The profit motive and propensity of man would always overshadow desire to do good. Early human activities proved this position unassailable.
Workers in early days were made to work very long hours, many of them without pay, shelter and enough food. Many were not even considered human enough. We will cut the long history short and say Labour unionism came to streamline activities relating to work ethics, productivity and welfare. Slave trade, that infamous trade on humans, had its roots here. In the early days of development in now developed countries apart from the role of the church and emerging scientists in ushering in the industrial age, the other big factor was the contributions of the working class people in churning out ideas to move productivity up and in very more efficient ways. Let›s leave it there.
My expectation of our Labour Movement at this time of our national history would be to assist policy makers fashion out ways and means things can run better, especially the economic front; then attaching to their ways and means provisions that can enhance the welfare of the workers. To do this efficiently, labour must lay hold on statistics. We must forget those who think data is not very vital. It is. Trouble here is that it would seem labour›s mind doesn›t work in this all-important direction.
Money is great. Indeed money answers to nearly all things but money simply thrown on a challenge may amount to wasted effort. We have seen government intermittently increase wages at the beginning – the from popular Udoji award, yet we have not witnessed corresponding improvements in the workers standard of living. Year in, year out, the story remains the same, labour to mouth. Before the government finishes with the announcement of wage adjustment, inflation follows. The Landlord›s, traders and transporters begin their naked dances too in public places.
We won›t invent the wheels again but we can put touches of innovation on them. Let›s begin the proposals and solutions from the most important. Labour should be very worried about an economy that is not only unproductive but virtually closing down. Our economic situation today is pathetic. It should scare the leaders to the point of sleeplessness. We use to have a near buoyant economy, vehicle assembly plants, huge supermarkets, textile factories and tea companies that competed for space. They were doing very well and employing people gainfully, suddenly they vanished from sight. Why is NLC not asking questions regularly?
Why did tyre companies like Michelin and others relocate to Ghana? Don›t we still require tyres? Is it true there is nothing we can do? Tomatoes? One of the local manufacturers was crying and threatening to leave the country. Why is labour not concerned? Malaysia and Singapore are making fortunes from palm oil. Palm trees are every where in the South. How come we are assailed with a situation of water everywhere but none to drink? Fish? Rice, beans, pepper, meat? We import! Labour Congress on Monday gave hint of fighting over oil subsidy, it doesn›t want the government to stop it. Their reason seems noble but sensible national policies are not anchored on nobility of heart alone, there must be objective assessment of the situation and sustainable solutions found.
Why is organised labour not declaring intention to fight, yes fight over establishment of local refineries. What actually is the big science in oil refining? How come we have tertiary institutions many with full science departments and yet rudimentary science development and productions which locals without education do, but instead, we as a country run with the idea that our well trained scientists can›t do much. Who said so? Biafrans during the Civil War refined crude oil, built cars and heavy but sophisticated military hardwares. In many backyards in Niger Delta young men and women without science education are busy turning crude into usable fuel. Steady electricity supply, internal railway system terminating at the ocean front are desirables. These and more ought to occupy the heads and hearts of labour leaders. Their demands ought to be along this line.
Even in picking low hanging benefits they have not shown good grasp over the matter. Like I have already observed, everything about their demands begins and ends with payment of wages and percentage adjustment in salaries. These leaders where they can›t think, shouldn›t forget basic things the white man did in terms of labour relations. Colonial masters left us with good examples on this score. For them, it wasn›t about huge salaries it was about productivity, welfare and dignity attached to work. They created functional offices. These were neat and well equipped. The work place ambience was marvelous, very caressing to the soul.
Protocol of authority management and relationships were well delineated. There was culture of obedience to all lawful instructions. Workers lived in owner-occupier houses, they gave one a house, then took a little from your salary as repayment. If residences didn›t go round, the worker got housing loans enough to build in the city and get himself a country home. There were official vehicles and buses to pick and drop off workers, some of us met the era when workers went to work looking like kings and queens.
Untutored leaders embraced external dictations and then canceled all that under the guise to cut governance cost yet the stolen funds alone is nothing compared to subheadings expended to fund good working conditions for workers. Today it has become like work is a crime which it is not. Those who voluntarily run into self-economic exile and slavery know you can›t survive days abroad staying idle. The vogue or culture is work and work and they in turn pay you good wages with other welfare incentives attached. This is the reason our people are going into voluntary slavery.
Finally, as I make to conclude, apart from usefulness of quality training, many of us believe time has come to cease using strikes as weapons. We should return the country to the old procedure where personnel of some critical services shouldn›t be allowed to go on strike. Health, electricity supply and security personnel shouldn›t ever contemplate strike as options. We all know why this should be so. Employment terms, disengagement and on job maltreatment should be things that should preoccuppy the thinking and actions of our labour unions, not only salary increase.
