Union to tackle employers over rising casualisation

The National Union of Chemical Footwear Rubber Leather and Non-Metallic Products Employees (NUCFRLANMPE) has vowed to resist further outsourcing and casualisation in the chemical sector by employers.

Its President, Goke Olatunji, underpinned the trend to a deliberate attempt by some employers in outlawing employee unionism.

He stressed that the practice negates the International Labour Organisation’s, ILO’s, convention on rights of a worker and that leaders of the union had, therefore, resolved at the National Administrative and Central Working Committee meeting held at the weekend in Sango Ota, Ogu State, to take on any erring employer.

Olatunji said the union had written the employers on the need to respect labour laws and conventions.

“We all understand the situation in the country and empathise with some of our employers, but most of them, irrespective of the situation in the country,are still breaking even and have failed to do what is lawful,” he said.

Olatunji condemned the situation where Nigerians were being used as slaves in their country, while foreign employers repatriate all the benefits entitled to the workers to their own countries.

He said the union would support the committee put in place by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to fight casualisation and other anti-worker policies in the workplace.

“Nigerian workers are the ones oiling the machinery of this economy and are supposed to be treated fairly; a casual worker is underpaid, works several hours, is not entitled to any benefit whatsoever, all these must stop. Nigerian workers, irrespective of their standard, deserve to be treated fairly,” he said.

The NUCFRLANMPE leader, however, praised all employers who have begun the implementation of the National Joint Industrial Committee agreement that was signed some months ago.

He also advised those yet to commence payment not to delay any further, while he maintained that the issue of gratuities of union’s members would be vigorously pursued.

Olatunji said the union, as a way of beating the present economic challenges and help some of its members already out of job, is diversifying into other investments that will further boost its financial capacity.

“Right now, the only major source of income is through check-off dues. So, the meeting has called for the speedy completion of our on-going ultra-modern shopping complex project as well as fashion out ways of going into small medium enterprises geared towards empowering members of the union,” he said.