NLC Kicks against Bill Seeking to Prohibit Health Workers’ Strike

Onyebuchi Ezigbo

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has objected to a proposed legislation currently before the National Assembly which seeks to outlaw any form of industrial action by employees in the country’s health sector.

The bill was intended to spare the health sector of the disruptions and incessant crisis that often befall it due to workers’ agitations for better welfare packages.

Proponents of the bill considered the job in the health sector as a very sensitive and essential one that should not be affected by strike.

But the NLC President Ayuba Wabba, said such a legislation if allowed to sail through would violate workers’ right to freedom of association as contained in the constitution of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

He described the move to gag the health workers as laughable, adding that basically no one could tie a worker’s hand from asserting his right to demand better welfare.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja yesterday, Wabba said strike aimed at increasing wages and payment of wage arrears, saying such action falls within the scope of legitimacy of trade union activities according to ILO Convention 7.69.

He said: “Nigeria is a member of the international Labour Organisation which recognises freedom of association. Item number 17 states that where national laws including those interpreted by the High Courts violate the principles of freedom of association, the ILO has always consider it within its mandate to examine those laws, provide guidelines and even offer ILO’s technical assistance to bring those laws into compliance with the principles of freedom of association as contained in the constitution of the ILO.”

On the issue of strike, Wabba said ILO Convention 7:51 provides for the right of workers to go strike, adding that it constitutes a fundamental right of workers and their organisation.

He said that strike is used as a means of defending the economic and social rights and interests of workers.

“A strike aimed at increase in wages and payment of wage arrears fall within the scope of legitimacy of trade union activities according to Convention 7.69,” he added.

On the issue of essential service, Wabba said by the ILO global standards, only the Air Traffic Controllers are assumed strictly in its sense to be essential service.

He said that was why the word “may” has been used in the case of the health sector workers.

According to Wabba, no sector can exclusively be said to be essential service outside the Air Traffic Control by the ILO global standards.

“To want to prohibit strike in the health sector is laughable and basically you can’t tie a workers hand not to demand for his rights because strike is not tea party,, strike is always a matter last resort and where industrial relation is working very well, strike can be avoided.

“Only the case of Air Traffic Control officers is strictly essential. It is a misplaced priority for any legislator without requisite knowledge of the global standards set by ILO to propose a law to stop health workers from embarking on strike. It is a fundamental right as guaranteed by the ILO convention on Freedom of Association.

“It is a global standard and not limited to Nigeria because workers have a right, workers are not slaves. This is against the principles of freedom of association,” he added.