Labour declares war on exploitation, accuses govt, employers of undermining workers’ rights

B Victor Ahiuma-Young

The 2026 May Day celebration, marked less by festivity and more by confrontation, saw the labour movement draw a hard line against what it described as a widening assault on workers’ rights, warning that worsening insecurity and deepening poverty have made “decent work” increasingly unattainable for millions.

The two central labour organisations, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, among others, accused both government and private sector employers of systematically undermining labour protections, including the failure to fully implement the 2024 National Minimum Wage Act and repeated interference in union autonomy.

In a joint address delivered by the President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, and the TUC President, Festus Osifo, under the theme: Insecurity and Poverty: The Bane of Decent Work, the labour leaders framed the moment as a turning point in what they described as a long-running struggle against exploitation, vowing to intensify resistance through coordinated action, legal pressure, and renewed solidarity across the labour movement.

According to them, “Comrades, we must not deceive ourselves; serious challenges persist. As global competition for resources intensifies, capital has grown more aggressive, deploying every means to weaken labour and silence the collective voice of workers.

“Across sectors, we continue to witness attacks on the fundamental rights to organise, to associate freely, and to bargain collectively, with violations carried out with alarming impunity. In several states, governments have refused to fully implement the provisions of the 2024 National Minimum Wage Act, despite improved revenues, forcing workers to mark this May Day not on celebration grounds, but in protest on the streets. In the private sector, some employers, emboldened by their size and influence, have shown open disregard for labour laws, even going as far as advocating for the removal of protections that safeguard workers from exploitation; sometimes in the very presence of institutions meant to enforce those laws.

“We are equally troubled by direct interferences in union structures and independence, from the continued occupation of union secretariats, to attempts at imposing parallel leaderships, and the disregard of court rulings affirming legitimate authorities within unions.

“These developments are not isolated incidents; they point to a broader and more troubling pattern of efforts to undermine the autonomy and strength of the trade union movement in Nigeria. They remind us, very clearly, that the struggle is far from over and that the forces opposed to workers’ rights remain powerful and determined.

“But history has taught us that our strength lies in how we respond. It is therefore imperative that we sharpen our strategies, deepen our unity, and build the capacity for creative and decisive engagement.

“In the coming period, the movement will intensify its engagement with employers; both public and private; to ensure that the rights and dignity of Nigerian workers are not only defended but advanced across all sectors. We will stand firmly with every worker, whether in the formal or informal economy, and we will not hesitate to expose and confront those who consistently violate workers’ rights through a sustained campaign of accountability.

“At the same time, while we support efforts to expand representation for previously unorganised workers, we caution against actions that fragment the movement and weaken solidarity through unnecessary proliferation of unions within the same sectors.

“Strengthening institutions of social dialogue, including the revitalisation of platforms such as the National Labour Consultative Council, remains essential, as does the urgent reform of our labour administration laws (which have been reviewed by the tripartite) to create a more balanced and effective industrial relations environment.

“Now, more than ever, Nigerian workers must stand together. Our unity is our greatest weapon, our solidarity our strongest shield. Our nation needs us, our people depend on us, and we must not falter. The change we seek is possible, but it will not come from elsewhere; it must come from us, through our collective will and action to rebuild a nation that works for all.”

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