Fashola Challenges Labour on New Approach to National Issues

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Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola acknowledging cheers from workers in Lagos, Nigeria

Emmanuel Thomas

May 1, 2015 – Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola has challenged labour leaders to evolve new approach to dealing with national issues instead of the usually rallies every May 1.

Fashola who spoke at the May 1 rally in Lagos emphasized the need for change in strategies.

“Now that we have all voted for change our attitudes and strategies must change. This is the only way we can experience change. One of the things that we need to change and I am happy all of our labour leaders are here, is that we have stood here year after year , every year what is the national communiqué we have produced from these rallies?

“ So perhaps instead of standing in the sun every year we can use all these money for face caps and other beautiful things and hire a hall and have a one day workshop on how to solve the problems in Nigeria. Whether it is housing ,power, education. Let us have a debate championed by labour for a whole day lets change the strategy”, he said.

Fashola said it is not the best approach to always request wage increase  stressing that when wages rise it does not necessarily translate to succor for the workers because of the corresponding economic reprisals,

“I have seen wages negotiated by up to 40 percent. Indeed when we raised minimum wages for the lowest paid Nigerian worker from N10,000 to N18,000 , if my arithmetic is correct that is an 80 percent increase. Now when the wages go up by 80 percent does the national income go up by 80 percent? There is bound to be a mismatch somewhere.”

Fashola noted that collective bargaining anchored on change in method of negotiation and sacrifice by the workers will further strengthen the workers’ unions to achieve their objectives.

“All of us have seen the All Progressives Congress (APC) but what happened in the APC was that the leaders sacrificed , everybody put the nation before the party, ACN , surrendered their name , CPC, ANPP, APGA  surrendered. You know why this is important is that we must stop having factions in labour, the welfare of the workers must be bigger than political ambition of the member.

“A divided labour is a fragile labour. The new government coming in from the state and national level need a united and strong labour not a divided labour force that cannot deliver on its aspiration. So whatever it takes all of you the leaders must reach out and compromise and you must have one united labour”, he said.

 

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