REFLECTING ON INTERNATIONAL WORKERS’ DAY IN NIGERIA IS THE FOCUS OF TODAY’S VIEWPOINT. IT IS WRITTEN BY HEAD OF EDITORIAL UNIT, YETUNDE OKE
Every first of May, Nigeria joins the global community in commemorating international workers’ day, also known as Labour Day.
A day set aside to pay tribute to the dedicated workforce across the world, which arose from the campaign for improved working hours and conditions for employees.
On May 4, 1886, members of a labour union movement had protested in Haymarket square, Chicago, Illinois, united states and called for a maximum of eight hours of work per day, the eradication of child labour, and an end to employee abuses.
The protest resulted in the deaths of some protestors and the dispersal of the crowd by police officers.
Even though the goal of the union to regulate the number of working-day hours was not realised until the late 1880s, the protest remained a landmark in the history of workers day as known today.
In Nigeria, workers’ day was first declared by the Kano state people redemption party government in 1980, and it became a national holiday in 1981.
Workers’ day stands as a testament to the ongoing struggle for fair labour practices and workers’ rights.
In Nigeria, the celebration holds significant weight, with demands ranging from increased minimum wage to the eradication of unpaid salaries and the pressing need to tackle high unemployment rates.
Despite the unwavering efforts of labour unions like the Nigerian labour congress (NLC) and the trade union congress (TUC), workers continue to face immense challenges.
The stagnation of the minimum wage at ₦30,000 for five years, coupled with soaring inflation and the devaluation of the naira, and non-implementation of the thirty thousand naira minimum wage by some state governments, have left workers grappling with financial hardship.
Calls for an annual review of the minimum wage based on economic indicators remain unanswered by the government, further compounding the plights of workers.
As the nation awaits the outcome of the tripartite committee’s review of the minimum wage and subsequently a new national minimum wage bill, urgent action is needed to address the deteriorating welfare of workers.
As the federal government raised salaries of some of its employees, including monthly pensions of retirees under the defined benefits scheme, on the eve of workers day, state governments should as well follow suit.
However, the increment in salaries of federal government workers should not be interpreted as a new national minimum wage.
Prioritizing the welfare of workers demands concerted efforts from both government and private employers.
Employers of labour must expedite action on the review of minimum wage as the current minimum wage is no longer sustainable.
Also, employees should be given the opportunity to work in more flexible ways, such as remotely or working non-standard work hours, while low cost housing facilities, free medical facilities, robust retirement benefits, and interest-free loan facilities are made available to workers.
It is imperative to institute sustainable measures that uphold workers’ rights, promote economic stability, and pave the way for a more equitable and prosperous society.
