AfriPulse
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has dismissed allegations of corruption and excessive power within Nigeria’s labour movement.
Falana, who spoke on ARISE News on Monday, described such claims as “misguided and politically motivated.”
He defended the legitimacy of trade unions and their right to organise, stating that no union leader in Nigeria had attained billionaire status through labour activities.
Falana said: “I don’t know any union leader who is a billionaire. In 2005, the Obasanjo administration claimed labour unions were too powerful and tried to weaken them. Today, because of the exploitation of workers, the NLC and TUC have become more united.” The lawyer noted that recent attempts to demonise trade unions reflect a lack of understanding of their constitutional and historical role in protecting workers’ welfare.
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He explained that Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution guarantees freedom of association, while International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions 87 and 98, ratified by Nigeria, affirm the rights to unionisation and collective bargaining.
According to the senior advocate, unions such as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have become more cohesive in the face of widespread economic hardship and systemic neglect of workers’ rights.
He argued that this unity is not a sign of militancy but of resilience against exploitation and inequality.
Falana maintained that organised labour remains a crucial pillar of Nigeria’s democratic development, reminding critics that trade unionism predates the 1914 amalgamation of the country.
He added that strikes are not instruments of sabotage but a last resort when employers and government agencies refuse to uphold their legal and moral obligations to workers.
Source: RipplesNigeria | Read the Full Story…
