BY FUNMI KOMOLAFE

shows President Gooduluck Jonathan (l) welcoming the NUT President, Comrade Michael Olukoya while the Education Minister, Prof. Ruqqayat Rufai (r) watched as members of the National Union of Teachers paid a courtesy visit to President Goodluck Jonathan at the State House

IT is the season politics, indeed the peak of it. Everyone is jostling to have a slice of the action. Labour seems not to be left out and this is very disturbing to keen watchers of the labour movement and those who have had cause to document the activities of the labour movement.

This article takes us down memory lane and examines the implications of trade unionists at whatever level flirting with politicians.

On the occasion of the centenary anniversary of May Day, precisely, May, 1, 1986, the then president of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Ali Chiroma read an address titled, “ Unions in Politics, Politics in the unions”. He gave reasons why organized labour could not afford to be apolitical. However, he was quick to add that in doing so, organized labour may form its own political party and not mix trade union issues with politics. Hence the leadership of the NLC decided to have a Labour Party whose role is distinct from that of the NLC and its affiliates. This is the situation even today.

However, there has been a disturbing trend. Some union members have made themselves tools in the hands of politicians.

One union that has consistently dabbled into politics is the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW. From the political thuggery of Bayo Success ( now late ) in Lagos state, to the most recent role of two leaders of factions of the NURTW, in Oyo state , Lateef Akinsola a.ka. Tokyo to Lateef Salako a.k.a Eleweomo who recently lost his life to a political struggle of politicians .

One cannot forget easily the role of the Osun state NLC in collaborating with the Peoples’ Democratic Party to get Olagunsoye Oyinlola elected as governor of Osun state. Also in Oyo, then NLC chairman, Comrade Bolomope was appointed Special Assistant on Labour by PDP’s Governor Rasheed Ladoja. During the leadership of Bolomope, the NLC was involved in a number of strikes against the government of Lam Adesina. It remains to the proven if the strikes were politically motivated.

In Niger state, Mohammed Arena, then president of the Medical and Health Workers Union became Secretary to the PDP government of Mohammed Kure as Governor of Niger State. . Even after the appointment, he retained his union office until the union members decided he could no longer remain their president.

In Lagos , there were allegations that a faction of the NURTW led by Saka Saula ( now deceased) worked with the Action Congress to win votes.

Only recently as if no one in the labour movement has learnt any lesson, the leadership of the NURTW , the Nigeria Union of Teachers( NUT), the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC and the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, the Central Working Committee members ( presidents and general secretaries of affiliate unions) were all at Aso rock to meet with Mr. President who is a candidate of the PDP for the current election.

In Kwara state, the leadership of NURTW openly canvassed for votes for Senator Gbemisola Saraki of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria ( ACPN) and promised the Senator that they would compel members of their families to vote for her.

In Abuja , the minister of labour, Chief Emeka Wogu while presenting the leadership of the NURTW to Mr. President said, with the union behind Mr. President, he is sure to win the election. This certainly is not the whole truth. Except of course, NURTW members would serve as political thugs, no union not even the NLC or TUC can choose for a worker who to vote for.

The NLC leadership led by its president, Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar was there to discuss the National Minimum Wage bill which the President had signed into law.

The TUC was also led to parley by its president-general, Comrade Peter Esele . The TUC raised a number of issues of concern to workers its address to President Goodluck Jonathan.

Comrade Esele who expressed concern about the conduct of ‘other politicians’ added, “it might be too late in the day as elections are here already”.

The issue is, is it politically expedient for labour leaders to meet with Mr. President at this time? Since any one who is elected cannot stop the implementation of the N18,000.00 national minimum wage which has become legally binding.

For the avoidance of doubt, one is not opposed to social dialogue but the timing of this particular visit to Aso rock with barely weeks to the election, gives room for suspicion.

Though, NLC warned its state councils not to endorse any political party, can it give such directive to its affiliates ? Definitely not . Without affiliates there can be no NLC.

Politics for whose benefit?

True, some union members have had one political appointment or the other . Some may have made material gains by hobnobbing with politicians but what has the average worker gained ? In virtually all these states where union leaders collaborated with politicians there were series of strikes.

In Oyo state, PDP’s Governor Alao Akala claimed he ‘proscribed’ the union because he fell out with the faction that supported which won at the National Industrial Court. He directed that the union’s secretariat be pulled down but for the resistance of the members, he would have had his way.

While the governor did this, not even the ministry of labour remind him that he has no constitutional powers to proscribe any trade union.

The ministry of labour, is aware that unions have no business with politics in the manner that they have been presented to Mr. President. The office of the Registrar of Trade Unions has consistently insisted that union’s funds cannot be used for political activities. This explains the formation of Labour Party distinct from the trade unions.

No doubt, the presence of these trade unions at Aso Rock at this time has no doubt boosted the presidential rating of Labour minister, Emeka Wogu.

Mr. President will see the minister as one of those who contributed to his success at the polls.

The election

One would have thought that Nigerian trade unions collectively would engage the politicians on issues of jobs, cuts in public spending, plans to place labour on the concurrent list, pension etc.

The unions collectively failed to organize a forum for politicians to unveil their programmes even as workers could be the first victims of the political action of these politicians once they get elected.

About a week ago, the British Trade Union Congress ( TUC) an international ally of the NLC organized demonstrations against the Coalition government in Britain over its plan to cut the budget of publicly owned facilities.

When are we going to have such in Nigeria ?

Hobnobbing with politicians who want to ride on the back of workers for election purposes has never put food on the table of workers neither has it secured jobs.