As workers and Nigerians await further directives from organized labour on whether to continue mobilization for the scheduled mass protest on Wednesday, 2nd August 2023, the Nigerian Employers Consultative Association (NECA) has urged the Federal government to take urgent action to avert the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) proposed mass protest.
The Director-General of NECA, Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, made the call on Sunday in Abuja, advising organized labour to embrace social dialogue to protect Nigerians from further hardship expected to result from the mass protest, which could lead to the shutdown of economic activities and possibly cause massive financial and job loss.
Oyerinde expressed regret that the relationship between successive Nigerian Governments, Organised Labour (NLC/TUC), and NECA has been challenging, especially between Government and Organized Labour, resulting in incessant conflicts and numerous threats of strikes instead of fostering sustainable enterprise, decent work, and economic growth.
He stated: “Recent events that portend serious danger for the survival of Sustainable Enterprises, Decent Work, National development, and our Industrial Relations System as a whole necessitated this urgent call.
The parlous state of the economy and the recent mobilization for strike and civil action by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUCN) is not only worrisome but also calls for urgent action by Government and other stakeholders.
“Social Partners must respect the established Institutions created to adjudicate and arbitrate labour matters in the country. These Institutions include but are not limited to the National Industrial Court (NIC); the Industrial Arbitration Panel (IAP), etc.
Neglecting these Institutions could potentially compromise our labour and industrial relations system and framework, with grave consequences for the economy.
“It is important for Social Partners to defer to their jurisdictional and operational limits. A call for ‘strike and mass action’ by any social partner at this difficult time, in furtherance of the achievement of its objectives could potentially cause a breakdown of law and order with attendant risks for Organized businesses and the Nation as a whole.
“Organized Businesses in the formal and informal sectors lost over N5 trillion (Five Trillion Naira) due to the crass vandalization by unscrupulous elements who hijacked the purposeful End-SARS protest in 2020.
Many organizations are yet to recover from the loss incurred, and many informal sector operators are fatally handicapped economically.
“Any strike, threat of mass action, or civil disobedience that could potentially disrupt the economic activities of businesses, especially those in the formal and informal sectors (which could compromise sustainability and job creation), based on economic policies of the Government (which are non-employment related) will be counterproductive.
“While Organised Labour is at liberty to engage with the Government on behalf of its members on issues of welfare as they relate to impacts of any economic policy, sometimes deadlock may hold sway.
When that happens, the consequential action by Organised Labour should not, in any way, hinder anyone from going about their businesses peacefully or cause anyone to be intimidated or harassed.
“We re-emphasize the importance of Social Dialogue, a potent instrument of the International Labour Organization (ILO), and a globally accepted mechanism for dispute resolution.
While it should be noted that various ILO Conventions, Recommendations, International treaties, and local legislations guarantee certain rights and privileges to Social Partners, a call for mass action or civil disobedience is certainly not one of them.”
NECA also advised the government to arrest the planned mass protest and “as a matter of urgency, take immediate steps to ameliorate the economic trauma being faced by workers, Nigerians, and Organised Businesses.
It is no gainsaying that many businesses are shut down, and many others are on the verge of closing down, which will exacerbate the current unemployment rate and drag many further down the poverty line.
“We strongly request that a coordinated implementation of the various pro-growth and other palliative schemes should commence, without further delay, at the Federal level to complement the efforts of some State Governments and Organised businesses.
The need for transparent communication and the building of National consensus at this difficult time cannot be over-emphasized. A stitch in time saves nine.”
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