Comrade Williams Akporeha is the State Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Delta State Council and National Treasurer, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG.

In this interview with Labour Vanguard, he speaks on issues ranging from the achievements, aspirations and constraints of the NLC in Delta State. Excerpts:

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

THERE is growing concern that labour is losing its relevance in the country and hardly impact positively on workers. How has Delta State NLC impacted on the state workforce?

Let me start by saying that organised labour is the engine room of economic and human resource development by government.

Therefore, activities of labour are primarily hinged on the principle of commitment to the struggle to ensure government and employers do the needful to build not only an expanded industrious workforce but also desirable work conditions for the continuous functionality of the engine room.

Diplomatic strategy

Now, in Delta state, the prevailing industrial harmony can be directly attributed to our determination and preference for dialogue before issues get to a boiling point.

To achieve this, we have always deployed a diplomatic strategy that ensure that while we are pushing for improved wages and conditions for workers, the engine of state is not short-circuited.

We are also leveraging on the magnanimity of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, who has been, so far, very wonderful on issues relating to labour. At every time, the governor has deployed prompt personal mechanisms that ensure issues are amicably resolved. The state workers appreciate his disposition to labour and continue to show understanding and cooperation.

That is not to say however that there are no pending issues between government and labour.

One outstanding character of the state NLC is the confidence with which all issues are not only promptly brought to the attention of the governor but persistently followed through, notwithstanding the presence of some distasteful impediments within the links.

Although, the required action from government may not be immediate, the approach has built trust between the state workers and NLC leadership.

Also, let me state that as with every large organisation, the state NLC has had its share of dissents. Again, it is this trust and confidence in the leadership that has kept organised labour in the state as one indivisible unit in the face of concerted efforts by certain elements within and outside to infuse divide and rule.

On the whole, it is safe to say that our activities have positively impacted on the state workers.

What has been the major achievements of NLC under your leadership?

I would prefer an appraisal of my leadership by the state workforce and the general public. However, for posterity, let me talk about few things that are verifiable as the dividends of the NLC under the present leadership of the council.

To start with, the successes of the state NLC so far under my leadership, credit must first of all be given to the State Governor, Dr .Emmanuel Uduaghan, who has never withheld his co-operation whenever Congress gets the opportunity to knock at his door.

Recall that I took up leadership of Congress in late 2011 and in my first May Day speech in 2012, Congress highlighted the plight of casual workers in the state, appealing fervently to the governor to adopt measures that will end casualisation of workers.

Few hours to 2013 May Day, in fact, my speech had gone to press, on the eve of May Day, suddenly the Governor announced the regularization of the appointment of over 1,000 casual workers in the state’s ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs.

So, although we are still pushing for the regularization of the remaining casual workers both in the public and private sectors in the state, this remains very remarkable to the leadership of Congress in the state.

Recall also that the state government in 2012 donated 10 buses to labour to provide transportation for workers at zero fare as palliative to cushion the impact of the partial fuel subsidy removal by the Federal Government.

Then, in 2013, the NLC leadership in the state requested and secured another 10 buses from the state government for industrial unions.

However, it must be said that the delivery and operation of the 2012 batch through the office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Labour and Industrial Relations, is a topic for another discussion.

Again, through our consistent interactions with the state government on the need to create employment to fill existing vacancies resulting from promotions, retirements and deaths, the Governor approved recruitment into the state civil service early this year.

At the moment, I am sure the state government is tidying up the technical areas for a smooth recruitment exercise.

Furthermore, the present leadership of Congress in the state has been able to reach consensus with government on the urgent need to rectify some computation errors discovered the implementation of the minimum wage, despite early implementation.

The errors are currently being rectified between government and Congress. It is also worthy to note that before now, state workers were groaning under the burden of over taxation due to computer errors but through effective intervention and dialogue with government by the present leadership of Congress, refunds were made to all those affected by government.

I must also mention that the struggle for prompt payment of pensions to retirees is also on the front burner among the issues on the discussion table between government and Congress.

Let me also say that through effective collaboration between Congress and the state government, workers in the state now earn their monthly salaries as at when due. In addition, I want to personally commend the state Governor for approving the much needed 13th month salary as end of year incentive for the state workforce.

There are a number of other items on our checklist that Congress is presently discussing with government. But above, Congress has attained unity like never before even in the face of unpretentious divisive elements.