The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has filed a petition at the ongoing International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, accusing the Federal Government and some state authorities of violating international labour conventions, particularly workers’ rights to organise and engage in collective bargaining.
The Congress said Nigerian workers continue to face persistent breaches of the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98), alleging widespread intimidation, harassment, and interference in trade union activities.
Presenting the address, NLC President Joe Ajaero said trade union leaders in Nigeria are increasingly subjected to threats, assaults, arrests, and victimisation for carrying out legitimate union duties.
“We appear before this Committee because workers and their organizations in Nigeria continue to face persistent violations of the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98),” he said.
He argued that the alleged abuses are not isolated incidents but form a pattern of interference, intimidation, violence, and discrimination against workers and their unions, in breach of obligations under the convention.
The NLC urged the International Labour Conference Committee to declare that Nigeria is in violation of Articles 1, 2, and 4 of Convention No. 98.
It also called on the committee to direct the Nigerian government to end what it described as the occupation of the NLC secretariat in Edo State and restore full control of the premises to the Congress, while halting interference in the internal affairs of trade unions.
The labour body further demanded respect for court rulings on trade union leadership disputes, including those involving the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), as well as stronger protection for union leaders and members.
It also sought independent investigations into cases of anti-union violence and intimidation, and urged the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to help establish a clear timetable for labour law reforms in Nigeria to ensure full compliance with Convention No. 98.
Citing specific incidents, Ajaero recalled that in November 2023, he was allegedly attacked and injured while leading a trade union mission in Imo State to enforce a negotiated 2021 collective agreement.
He said the mission involved issues such as pension arrears, unpaid salaries and allowances, and alleged harassment of workers.
“No effective investigation and prosecution has followed despite assurances to the contrary,” he said.
Ajaero warned that the absence of accountability was emboldening further violations and sending a dangerous signal to workers and union leaders across the country.
He also alleged that recently in Osun State, union leaders from the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) were shown graphic images of his assault as a warning to deter them from embarking on industrial action.
According to the NLC, these incidents reflect a broader pattern documented over several years, including intimidation and physical attacks on union leaders, interference in union elections, excessive deployment of security forces during strikes, and restrictions on the independent operation of labour organisations.
