AS NIGERIAN workers today join organisedlabouraround the world to celebratethe International Workers' Day, it remains disheartening that years of this celebration have failed to translate positively in terms of improved workers' welfare, high productivity, international best working practice and an environment conducive for work. Instead, factors such as corruption in high places, hydra-headed government policies and a calamitous dearth of basic tools and infrastructure continue to gravely undermine workers. This is unfortunate. But the day will nevertheless be observed,first in memory of the 1886 Haymarket Massacre in Chicago where a number of demonstrating workers were killed by the police, andsubsequently,tokeep on thefront burner all issues relating to the rights and welfare of the working class.It is indubitable that workers of all types and ranks are the backbone of a nation ' its economy, its institutional structures of government, health and education. This being so,the welfare ofthe working classwould, by all reasonable expectation, beof paramount consideration for authorities at all levels in the society.Indeed, the worker-related issue of jobs is arguably the topmost priority of governments in all democracies. Not quite so in this warped economy where, thanks to the easy revenue from oil, government functions even if labour goes on strike till kingdom comes. It would be no exaggeration to say that through the pastdecade, Nigerian workers of everytype and category have had tofightlong andhard for every gain in monetary compensation,employees' rights and privileges. Take the long-drawn struggle for a minimum wage that, at a meagre N18,000 a month granted by government, is most unrealistic to live on in these times.Take the never-ending Federal Government ' Academic Staff Union of Universities feud over the implementation of agreements mutually endorsed years back.And, as thenation's economyworsens, in partcaused byglobaleconomiccrisis, butlargely as a result oflarge-scalecorruptionand mismanagement, the plight of the Nigerian worker ' still lucky tohave a job at all ' has correspondingly taken aturn for the worse.The reasons for this sad situation are many. First, theworsening state ofbasicinfrastructure that support industry andother productive activitieshaveled tobusinessclosures or 'business emigration' tomore friendly environment and in turn, a consequent loss of jobs. Needless to say, workers out of job depletethemembership of organised labour andweaken itscapacity tofulfil its mission to 'organise, unionise and educate (as well as) defend and advancethe political, economic, social andcultural rights ofNigerian workers. Second,fiscal and other policies of government have eroded the purchasing power of the naira to the extent that, in popular parlance, the take-home pay of many a worker cannot take him home. But bills must be paid nevertheless, thus encouraging cutting of corners.The sharp increase in the price of petrol and its multiplier effects on the cost of goods and services is the most recent step of government to worsen the financial condition of workers. But even asgovernment as an institution acts against the best interest ofthe nation's workforce, well-positioned individuals inthe system ' ministries, departments and agencies ' aredoing their utmost to grindNigerian workers into the dust, both while in employment or in retirement. How else can anyone explain the mind-boggling theft of pension scheme funds by high-ranking government officials who are workers albeit in the management cadre' Notably, suchheinous crimes arecommitted by afew who are sufficiently criminal-minded andinconsiderate of the plight of their colleagues.The Nigerian Labour Congress has latelythreatenedmass action unless the culprits are brought to book because 'corruption in the pensions sector is not just an economic crime; theft of terminal benefits of millions ofpensioners (which are far frombeing enough to sustain long life expectancy)amounts to burying thefuture of the existing workforce andmass earlyburialsof the currentpensioners'.Unfortunately, thefinancial plunder extends beyond the civil service to the unmerited remunerations of political office holders and mutual corrupt enrichment going on between the governing class and the business class of say, the petroleum sector.In sum, while hapless Nigerian workers are busy working, Nigerian leaders in government and in business are busy looting. No economy can be so spiteful of its working class, and no nation can carry on in this despicable way, and survive. No.On this Workers' Day, other perennial issuesthat yearn forredress include the casualisation ofNigerians in foreign-owned businesses even when they are sufficiently skilledtobe formallyandproperly hired with full entitlements; engaging Nigerians on contract without commensurateremuneration; the needtorespectcollective bargaining agreements ' governments atfederal and state levels have been shamelesslyat fault in this respect; the need tocontinually improve both conditions of service as well asthe workplaceenvironment. The Minister of Labour, Chief Emeka Wogu should fulfil his reported promise to 'take bold steps' to address theissues of casualisation and 'good working conditions and practices'.Employers have basic, definedobligations to their workers, who reciprocally have an abiding duty not to merely put in aday'swork for a day's pay, but togoan extra milein the interest of theemployer. The situation where workers threaten to, or actually resort to strike on flimsy excuse is not only disruptive to business; it reflects a poor negotiating capability of both parties. Ina world that is daily transformed by technology, in which the knowledge worker is gaining increasing recognition, it is important and urgent that workers of all types and categories reflect on the profoundly changing nature and meaning of work as we know it now, and how it will affect them collectively. Therefore, Workers' Dayshould not only be a day to make speeches, it should also serve to reflect on the past, the present, and the future of work and the worker, in the emerging knowledge society. This we urge on Nigerian workers if, as stated in the mission statement of the Nigerian Labour Congress, the working class is to 'lead the struggle for the transformation of Nigeria into a just, humane, and democratic society'.
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