BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG
LAGOS — ORGANISED Labour in the country, looked at the conditions of Nigerian workers since the last May Day, and declared that workers are now poorer and insecure both at work and at home.

From President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC; Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, to the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, besides the issue of poverty, Nigerian workers now live fear over their safety and job security among others.

Speaking, President of the NLC, Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, declared: “Workers have not fared very well. First we fought the issue of the national minimum wage, we agreed on the payment, but up till today, there are certain places where the national minimum wage has yet not been implemented, places like Enugu, Anambra and some other states in South-East. This is a gross violation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic by those state governments.

Similarly, NUPENG through its General Secretary, Comrade Elijah Okougbo said “The casualisation and outsourcing of workers in the industry are continuous setback, depriving our members of good conditions of service. Despite the huge sums of money voted for railway revitalization, the tracks are still in tatters.

For the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, the government and its agents have continued to intimidate and threaten the workers of the Power Holding Company, PHCN over their stance on the planned privatization of PHCN.

According to the General Secretary of the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, “we shall not be deterred by the oppressors antics and instruments of coercion employed to cow us and enforce the sale of our national patrimony to their proxies and agents.

“Our resolve that all labour and labour related issues must be settled conclusively before an eventual take over is undertaken remains firm. We, therefore, urge you to remain resolute in this struggle against darkness in the nation.”