By Victor Ahiuma-Young

LAGOS—World Federation of Trade Union, WFTU, weekend in Lagos, gave indication of a global assault on employers over unfair labour practices in Nigeria and other African countries.

At a briefing to round off his visit to Nigeria, WFTU President, Mr Zwandile Makwayiba, a South African, lamented the exploitation of African workers by employers, without any meaningful economic and social transformation.

He noted that the global union was already strategizing on how to address the menace, as  global body in collaboration with the organised labour in Nigeria would be holding an African regional conference of WFTU in Nigeria this July.

The WFTU President said the conference became necessary to enable trade unions in Africa forge a common agenda and define a common approach to issues affecting workers in the continent, including the issue of minimum wage, common laws, etc, saying “At WFTU, we believe that the plight requires working class unity across the continent. For instance, the struggle of our trade unions against big business in Nigeria could be won, not just in Nigeria, but equally through solidarity in South Africa, Kenya or Ghana.”

Makwayiba also decried the present situation in Nigeria in which a country richly blessed with petroleum and other natural resources, the vast majority of its people were impoverished due to its current capitalist system, maintaining that capitalism ”is a system that benefits only a few to the detriment of the poor masses.”

On the problem of casualisation and outsourcing, Makwayiba who responded to questions said the challenges were equally prevalent in South Africa.

He however noted that trade unions in South Africa managed to convince the South African government to enact laws that compulsorily gave a worker permanent status after three months of employment whether the employer wanted it or not.

According to Makwayiba, the focus of WFTU was to end oppression of workers, either black or white and it could be achieved through the involvement of all concerned, not labour alone.

Corroborating, Mr Leke Success, Convener and Presidential Council Member, WFTU, said the aim of the meeting was to enlighten labour unions on the fact that the federation would help to handle issues of workers and pensioners.

He said, “Foreign nationals who own companies in Nigeria maltreated workers in terms of poor wage, lack of social security, capital flight among others and nothing is being done. That is what affiliate stakeholders have gathered to deliberate on and the Ministry of Labour and Productivity has given its support.”

Success who is also the General Secretary of the National union of Hotels and Personal Service Workers, NUHPSW,  and  Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, National Administrative Council,  NAC,  member said  WFTU was in Nigeria to strengthen the job of the labour centres and their affiliates on achieving decent work agenda, right of workers and unionization, raise a bigger vision and provide larger perspective.