The Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC ) is an umbrella organization for trade unions in Nigeria .
21-637: The Nigerian Labour Congress was founded in December 1978, as a merger of four different organisations: the Nigeria Trade Union Congress (NTUC), Labour Unity Front (LUF), United Labour Congress (ULC) and Nigeria Workers' Council (NWC). However, the recently established Federal Military Government, led by Murtala Mohammed , refused to recognise the new organisation, and instead set up the Adebiyi Tribunal to investigate
42-581: A new Nigeria Labour Congress, on the condition that the approximately 1,500 affiliated unions were restructured into 42 industrial unions, plus 19 unions representing senior staff. In 1978, the Nigeria Labour Congress was established, with the 42 industrial unions affiliated. It was to be the only legal trade union federation. Its leadership included many of the leading figures from its four predecessors, with Wahab Goodluck becoming its founding president. During its history, conflicts with
63-533: The Nigeria Labour Congress . Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (2005) The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) is a national trade union federation in Nigeria, focusing on unions representing senior staff. In 1978, trade unions in Nigeria were restructured into 42 industrial unions, and 19 unions representing senior staff. The Nigeria Labour Congress was established to represent
84-553: The NLC supported Peter Obi and the Labour Party in the 2023 Nigerian general election , a party the NLC started in 2002. This is the first time the union has expressed explicit support for a political party. The National Women Commission is the national women's wing of NLC. It was created in 2003 to increase the participation of women in the affairs of the union. Beginning in 1983, demand for more recognition of working women led to
105-684: The NLC: Nigeria Trade Union Congress The Nigeria Trade Union Congress (NTUC) was a national trade union federation in Nigeria. The union was founded in 1960, as a split from the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUCN) by members who wished to align with the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU). It was led by former TUCN president Michael Imoudu . In 1962, the federation merged with
126-551: The President Goodluck Jonathan administration. The president and his economic team had argued that fuel subsidy payments was making the country lose billions of naira and it will save around "£4.2bn annually to invest in underperforming refineries that have forced Nigeria to import its own oil once it has been refined". The president said his government was no more interested in the payment of fuel subsidy to petroleum markerters. This will move fuel prices which
147-819: The TUCN, to form the United Labour Congress (ULC), but after the new organisation voted to affiliate to the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions , the NTUC withdrew. It formed Independent United Labour Congress (IULC), with Imoudu as president and Amaefulo Ikoro as general secretary. The government chose to only recognise the ULC, and the IULC found itself in disputes over the use of funds. Ibrahim Nock and his supporters split away at
168-408: The activities of trade unions and their leaders. The Tribunal reported in 1976 and claimed that all the existing trade union centres propagated Cold War ideologies, depended on funding from international union federations, and mismanaged funds. This was used as a justification to ban all four centres, with M. O. Abiodun appointed as the administrator of trade unions. He accepted the establishment of
189-560: The country, some of the anti-union regulations were abolished in January 1999. The same month Adams Oshiomhole was elected President of the reformed organisation. In the early 2000s, conflict between the government and the NLC escalated due to the organisation's opposition to higher fuel prices. The price increases are the result of decisions by the Olusegun Obasanjo government to dramatically reduce subsidies and to deregulate
210-469: The economy as there was a total shutdown of the Nations different workforce and it lasted more than five working days. This led the then president Jonathan to announce on live TV that government will now subsidize fuel prices and reduce it to about $ 2.75 (£1.80) a gallon. The protest was eventually suspended after this broadcast by the federal government. Together with the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria ,
231-547: The end of 1962 to form the Northern Federation of Labour, while early in 1963, Wahab Goodluck and S. U. Bassey took over the leadership of the IULC, which they renamed as the NTUC. In 1968, a small group led by E. Bussey Etienam broke away to form the Nigerian Federation of Labour. In 1978, the union merged with the ULC and the smaller Labour Unity Front and Nigeria Workers' Council , to form
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#1732772895084252-652: The establishment of women's wing in state capitals. Currently state branches of NLC have a women's committee and the chairperson of the committee is an automatic member of the administrative council of the state's NLC. On the national level, the head of the National Women Commission is automatically a vice-president of NLC.The president of the National Women Commission is Comrade Rita Goyit. The women wing also engages in massive rallies and protest in support for women rights and against gender based violence against women. The following unions are affiliated to
273-440: The ground and bundled him into a standby Peugeot 504 station wagon, which bore no licence plates." The State Security Services called the claim "sensational and inaccurate reporting", saying that the NLC president had a "misunderstanding" with field operatives, but that the matter was soon resolved. A presidential spokesperson claimed that Oshiomhole was only invited for a "chat" at the airport, no arrest having taken place. In 2005,
294-639: The industrial unions. The senior staff unions attempt to found the Federation of Senior Staff Associations of Nigeria, but the government refused to recognise the body. In 1986, it permitted the formation of a loose, consultative body, the Senior Staff Consultative Association of Nigeria (SECSCAN). In 2005, the law was changed, permitting the formation of multiple national trade union federations, and for senior staff unions to join any federation of their choosing. SECSCAN
315-441: The law was changed to permit other trade union federation to receive government recognition, and also to permit senior staff unions to join the NLC. In 2016, about 25 affiliates left to form the United Labour Congress , but they rejoined the NLC in 2020. By the end of the year, it had 43 affiliates, which as of 2016 represented more than 4,000,000 members. One of the strongest protest of the NLC can be traced to January 2012 during
336-441: The military regime twice led to the dissolution of the NLC's national organs, the first in 1988 under the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida and the second in 1994, under the regime of General Sani Abacha . In 1996, the 42 affiliates of the NLC were merged into 29, by Act of Parliament. Under Nigeria's military governments, labour leaders were frequently arrested and union meetings disrupted. Following democratic reforms in
357-505: The organisation lacking legal power to call a general strike over government policies. Following the announcement of the strike plans, the NLC claimed President Adams Oshiomhole was arrested October 9, 2004 at a protest at Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport. According to the organisation, Oshiomhole was "abducted by a team of operatives of the State Security Services (SSS) numbering over fifteen, who overpowered him, wrestled him to
378-403: The purchase and sale of fue The NLC has led several general strikes protesting the government's fuel price policy. In September 2004, the NLC gave the federal government an ultimatum to reverse the decision to reintroduce the controversial fuel tax or face a nationwide protest strike. The strike threat was made despite the fact that a Federal High Court judgement in an earlier dispute had declared
399-513: Was dissolved, with most of its affiliates forming a new Trade Union Congress of Nigeria . Soon after, it was a founding affiliate of the International Trade Union Confederation . Together with the Nigeria Labour Congress, the federation supported Peter Obi and the Labour Party in the 2023 Nigerian general election , the first time both organisations explicitly support a political party. As of 2020,
420-583: Was not welcomed by the Nigeria Labour Congress. Abdulwahed Omar, the then NLC president challenged the government that there will be wide spread mass protest in Nigeria if it continued with its plans to remove fuel subsdy. The NLC was able to rally other trade unions and civicl societies to support its planned protest. This challenge was marked by actions when the government moved on with the removal of payments for fuel subsidy. By 9 January 2012, massive protest erupted around Nigeria and in major cities including Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano. These protest crippled
441-413: Was sold for N65 a litre with subsidy inclusive to around N141 which implies more than a hundred per cent increase. The campaign for fuel subsidy removal was supported by the ministers in his cabinet and mostly chaired by the then finance minister/coordinating minister for economy Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala. The government announced that fuel subsidy was going to be removed by January 2012 and this announcement
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