The happy idea of using a proletarian holiday celebration as a means to attain the eight- hour day was first born in Australia. The workers there decided in 1856 to organize a day of complete stoppage together with meetings and entertainment as a demonstration in favour of the eight- hour day. The day of this celebration was to be April 21. Initially, the Australian workers intended this only for the year 1856. However, this celebration had such a strong effect on the proletarian masses of Australia, enlivening them and leading to new agitation, that it was decided to repeat the celebration every year.
Workers’ Day can also be traceable to the May 1, 1886 agitation, by American Workers’ under the aegis of the federation of organized trades and labour unions (FOTLU) for improved conditions of service. On that specific day, more than 300, 000 workers from 13, 000 businesses across the United States walked out of their jobs in protest against unfriendly working conditions. The workers demand were simple, 16 hours per day work in unsafe conditions which were common then.
It is abundantly clear that FOTLU could not get its wishes of improved conditions in their work places on a platter of gold. In fact, an unknown bomber detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) at a labour rally in Chicago’s Haymarket square. The bomb killed one police man and the authorities rounded up leaders of the local labour movement and put them on trial.
The trial drew more attention plight of the workers and gradually, employers began to make tremendous changes to the conditions of service of their employees.
It seems to me that Nigerian Workers have also had their fair share of the struggle for enthronement of workers’ right as well as enhanced package for workers. Despite this, it is a truism to say that the road to the current situation of workers in Nigeria has been long, rough and tortuous. However, the celebration of workers day in Nigeria commenced during the Shagari’s administration that is on May 1, 1981.
This, I think was in recognition of Shehu Shagari’s administration significant contributions which Nigerian Workers have achieved and will continue to make to the economic progress of our beloved country.
Unions have vast power, and the right to strike has been one of organized labours strongest weapons in achieving that power. Once a union wins a bonafide election, the recognition of that union as a bargaining agent for workers is guaranteed under the law.
In Nigeria, many trade unions and workers associations like Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), the Congress for Free Trade Union (CFTU), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG), Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) among others will hold their celebration rallies at different locations.
Writing on Nigerian Revolution and the comrades of Ulysses which appeared in Open Life International Magazine of August 16-31, 2009. P.10, Chief Bobson Gbinije, a respected, responsible writer and public affairs analyst cum commentator has this to say of workers union and association ‘’The NURTW, NANS, PENGASSAN by extension, NLC, NUJ, NUT, ASUU, etc have in their conspiracy of cowardly strikes and silence become part of the bandwagon of the corrupt, and their sometimes kidglove strikes impresses nobody’’. In other words, labour leaders should think positively on the welfare of their members and stop back-biting.
While commenting on the workers’ dilemma in The Pointer Newspaper, of May 4, 2009 p.8, its chairman, Editorial Board, Mr. Godfrey Ubaka pointed out that the Nigerian Workers even fared reasonably well under the colonial authorities when the shelter was part of his condition of services, his remuneration was sure and he had the right to express his opinion on the unfolding matter of the day.
Continuing, he stated that the fortune of the Nigerian Worker actually plummeted rather sharply in the long years of military maladministration of the Nigerian state. The military, he went on, recognized the centrality of professionalism in the public service and the private sector. Finally, Mr. Ubaka summarized by advising that the Nigerian Workers should get more organized politically and be ready to play a key role in the determination of his future and destiny. He must insist on genuine electoral reforms. The path is usually full of challenges as already shown
by the experiences of Obama, Mimiko, Oshiomhole and the few other progressives committed to rewriting of the political history of Nigeria.
Delivering a paper entitled ‘’Industrial Harmony: A panacea for job security at PENGASSAN industrial relations workshop in Benin-city, Edo state on the 2nd of April 2001, the then third substantive principal/chief executive of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun in Delta State, Dr. Samuel Ebika Ovuru, an engineer, academic and administrator said, “Today, it seems the workforce in most cases are not interested in the growth of the organization rather efforts are mainly directed at improving welfare benefits.
There is need at this time for management and workers to clearly understand the mission statements of their organizations. I believe the unions must play a major role in this direction, so that the workforce and management could have mutual understanding of the organization’s objectives’’. In the same paper, the chief executive said that the Nigerian industrial climate has been frequently disturbed by series of agitation and protest from both management and workers. No year passes without a major strike or threat of strikes. If protest marches are not organized, there is always a sit down strike that does not benefit any person in this great country of ours. The resultant effect he disclosed as always been scarcity of goods and services as well as increase in the cost of living to the ordinary person.
As we celebrate this year’s May Day, we should think of our pensioners (retirees) who may be properly and genuinely described as the senior citizens and the elder statesmen of the nation.
A situation where the senior citizens stay for years without their monthly stipends having successfully and judiciously served the nation for years is not only frustrating but killing. It is on record that many of them reached their early graves as a result of the inability of the various establishments to pay their stipends as and when due. Many could not receive their gratuities either.
In fact, many retirees in Nigeria today are walking corpses begging for death to come for no fault of theirs in our streets due to poor management style and lack of leadership skills in many establishments.
Obviously, Nigerian workers have been faced with a horde of problems many of which arose from the oppressive and obnoxious policies of previous administrations. Happily, the current democratic structure under the leadership of the President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has promised to look into the welfare of workers to ensure the sustenance of better working conditions.
Whatever the case may be, workers are expected to reciprocate and support the government to ensure sustainable development.
It is also on record that workers have fought and are still fighting against unprogressive practices in both the public and private sectors. Nigerian workers have had to struggle against casualization, exploitative contract employment especially for expatriates and out-sourcing of jobs even when competent hands are available within. There are some organizations where employers deny employees their right to belong to trade unions, they work under sub-human conditions and eventually there are paid starvations rather than living wages and often, they receive such wages irregularity.
It is no exaggeration to say that the largest employer of labour in Nigeria is the government, that is, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
As a result, the government has a lot of responsibility to promote the dignity of labour and enhance workers’ welfare. In order to effectively achieve this, it seems to me that professionalism and excellence as well as relevant qualifications should be taken into consideration and avoid ‘Godfatherism and Godmotherism’ including tribalism, nepotism, favouritism among others in employments and postings. This is to say that postings and deployments to various departments should take into consideration once area of specialization in order to at least maintain minimum standard and work ethics. In applying this, it would help to boost corporate image of an organization and Nigeria in general locally, nationally and internationally.
There should be short and long term courses/programmes occasionally to make
such employees relevant and update his or her knowledge to enable an organization grow faster. Some organizations have fizzled out or remain redundant in the past as well as perform abysmally low because of engaging non technocrats to manage the affairs of such specialized establishments. This should be urgently addressed by the current democratic structure under President Jonathan to avoid waste of scarce resources both human and capital, in other words, poor tax payers’ money.
The truth is that as we celebrate this year’s May Day, workers and other Nigerians need to smile because the three tiers of government need to massively concentrate on improving the standard of living of Nigerians. Part of this should be immediate solutions for teeming millions of unemployed youths and those compulsorily and prematurely retired by former administration need to be properly paid their entitlements including severance packages based on the agreement reached. There is no need for some of these organizations to renege that is, putting in oblivion the agreement. It is not good enough for industrial harmony.
The only way out of these is for government and all those who are engaged in policy formulation to take the opportunity of the Workers’ Day to reflect on the real plight of Nigerian workers. The Nigerian Labour Movement (NLM) must reciprocate the good intension of the government. It is only when labour is backed with commensurate returns that the doctrine of dignity of labour can become fully realizable. In this connection, Nigerian workers’ will have hope and future.
Whatever the case may be, there is need for Nigerian Workers to prepare and rededicate themselves towards national reconstruction and growth, which current attitudes of graft, corruption, lack of loyalty to employers and wilful sabotage of their responsibilities do not encourage. It implies that workers must be partners in the task of creating wealth. This, I think and believe will usher in an era of industrial peace and harmony, improved work ethics and higher productivity on the part of Nigerian workers.
Charles Ikedikwa Soeze, fhnr,fcida,fcai, fscam,chnr,ksq,emba ,cpae son is a mass communication scholar from first degree to doctoral level and Assistant Director (Administration)/ Head, Academic and Physical Planning (A&PP) of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Delta State, Nigeria.
charlessoeze@yahoo.ca (08036724193)
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