By Christian Appolos | Abuja
The former Secretary General of Organisation of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU), Comrade Owei Lakemfa, has said that organisation is key to trade union growth and progress.
Comrade Lakemfa, in his lead paper at a three-day leadership and organising academy for members of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and its affiliates organised by Solidarity Centre, said, “Every leader and member of a trade union is consciously or unconsciously, an organiser.
“A union bereft of organising is a sick union and if not attended to, will die. Because organising is like blood to the human body, it has to constantly flow. You have to organise the unorganised and un-organise the organised. What this means is that organising is like an ever flowing stream.”
The President of TUC, Comrade Festus Osifo, in his address, thanked participants from different affiliates of TUC NAC members and the organisers of the programme.
Comrade Osifo expressed delight at the positive turnout of female unionists while admonishing the participants to be attentive and interactive in order to achieve the aim of the training which is tailored towards harnessing good leadership qualities and organisational skills.
He further commended the organisers, The Solidarity Center (TSC), for partnering with TUC and for providing complete funding for the programme.
The Country Programme Director of West Africa region, TSC, Sonny Ogbuehi, in his welcome address, said the centre, in the past 20 years of its existence, has been involved in the training and re-training of Nigerian workers among the two labour federations.
The Secretary General of TUC, Nuhu Toro, in his paper titled, “Building Worker Power, Strategic Organising,” exposed the participants to how to build modern trade unions, factors affecting union leverage, future organising strategies and sources of union power.
Janet Anaele, in her paper,said gender mainstream is the process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action, including legislation, policies or programmes, in any area and at all levels.
She further expounded the approaches to promoting gender equality, strategies and tools for gender mainstreaming, the role of union in promoting gender equality and international policies as enshrined in ILO convention 190 which vehemently prohibit gender-based violence and harassment.
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