‘FG should be productive, set up standing committee for industrial relations to halt strike’

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) with expertise in labour law, Paul Ananaba, has called on the Federal Government to set up a standing committee that will be saddled with the responsibility of proactive industrial labour relations engagement with intent to avoid incessant industrial action by trade unions.

Ananaba, who gave the advice during an interactive session with the Nigerian Tribune in Abuja, at the weekend, noted that with the state of Nigeria’s economy, strikes are not needed in order not to plunge the economy into crisis.

“There is a new administration and Nigerians expect a new approach. Government should, therefore, constitute a committee, not just on an ad-hoc basis but a committee that should constantly deal with labour-related issues because every labour issue should not snowball into strike or other industrial action.

“Let us have a standing committee made up of government, labour and other stakeholders that should  continuously work on labour-related issues, whether it is ASUU or other unions, to avoid incessant disharmony in the labour sector. The ad hoc approach has not had any meaningful effect on the issues over the years.”

“I think if there is patriotism and commitment, such committee will be able to manage our labour related issues so that before government takes any action that will cause industrial relation crisis, this committee will be consulted.”

That way, government will be proactive instead of being reactive. Such the committee will monitor whatever that has been agreed. This way, agreements with labour unions will not be left entirely in the hands of politicians because implementation of labour related agreements is not in the best interest of politicians,” he said.

On the issue of government using court order to stop strike, he said, “There cannot be a perpetual ex parte order. When you said ex parte, it means the court only had a side. So what has happened since the ex parte was issued? And was it in the same set of facts? What was the issue at that time? The fact is, if the Federal Government wants to take labour to court they can do so and not to rely on the ex parte order. So if where was an order restraining labour from going on strike 10 years ago, that order should continue till today?

“In the first place, we are talking about a labour issue that I think shouldn’t be subjected to only judicial intervention. I don’t agree with anybody who thinks that labour has no reason to go to strike in the Nigeria of today.

“For instance, the issues that labour has raised should be discussed and negotiated and implemented. The solution should not be just an ex parte order from court, while workers and Nigerians by extension will be going through the worst set of conditions.

“How much is an average Nigerian worker paid? The N30,000 and N40,000 some workers are pain in a month cannot fill a fuel tank of a small vehicle as at today. That is the issue. So you cannot beat a child and then tell the child not to cry.

“I think we should deemphasise court order as an intervention and talk about solutions and the way forward. I think labour has raised alarming issues that should be seriously looked into. We have to move the country forward. The way things are now is not the way we should allow labour to go on strike.

“Government should consider those who will die from ill health, economic stagnation. Banks may not work. So what will happen to the country? I beg that productive action should be taken in the interest of the country. Government should take a decisive action. The strike will not do anybody any good.”

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