Unions must resist state capture to protect workers’ dignity — Labour

Says history will judge compromised unions harshly

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

LAGOS— Nigerian trade unions must resist all forms of political capture, government interference, and corporate manipulation if they are to remain genuine protectors of workers’ rights and dignity.

President of the Precision Electrical and Related Equipment Senior Staff Association, PERESSA, and Chairman, Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights, CDWR, Sesan Rufus, stated this while delivering the keynote address at the 1st Quadrennial State Delegates Conference of the Lagos State Council of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, held at the ASSBIFI Event Centre, Lagos.

According to Rufus, union independence and discipline are non-negotiable for defending the interests of Nigerian workers.

He said “Independence is the lifeblood of trade unionism Without independence, unions lose their voice, their courage, and their ability to represent the true interests of workers. Independence means freedom from undue political interference, corporate manipulation, or state suppression. It means unions can negotiate, advocate, and, when necessary, challenge unjust systems without fear or compromise.

“History teaches us that when unions are controlled or silenced, the rights of workers are eroded, and dignity is traded for exploitation.

“Equally important is discipline. Independence without discipline can lead to chaos, division, and weakened solidarity. Discipline is what ensures that unions remain united, strategic, and focused on the collective good rather than individual or factional interests. A disciplined union is a union that commands respect—not just from employers and governments but also from the workers it serves.”

He reminded his audience that Nigerian unions have historically been at the forefront of struggles for justice, from colonial times through the anti-military resistance of the 1980s and 1990s.

“We must remember the sacrifices of leaders like Michael Imoudu, who insisted that unions must never become tools of the state or ruling class but remain accountable to their members—the working masses,” he said.

Drawing lessons from global struggles, Rufus cited the weakening of the Congress of South African Trade Unions, COSATU, after it became tied to the ruling party, in contrast to militant unions in Argentina and Brazil that, through independence and discipline, won concessions from governments and employers.

“The lesson is clear: unions that cling to independence and discipline retain their transformative power; those that compromise lose the trust of their members,” he emphasised.

On the Nigerian situation, Rufus painted a grim picture, saying “Today, we face a triple crisis: spiralling inflation, mass unemployment, and rising authoritarianism. The removal of fuel subsidy, currency devaluation, and rising taxation have pushed millions of workers and poor families into deeper poverty. Yet, at the same time, we see unions sometimes hesitant to act decisively, constrained by leadership crises or divided by internal wrangling.

“Union independence also demands financial discipline. A union that cannot fund its activities without relying on state subventions or backdoor corporate sponsorship will struggle to maintain its autonomy.

Workers’ organizations must be built from the bottom up, financed by workers themselves, and run democratically to prevent bureaucratization.”

Rufus described independence and discipline as the “shield of workers’ rights and dignity. Together, independence and discipline form a shield—a protective barrier that defends workers from exploitation, unsafe working conditions, unfair wages, and discrimination. They empower us to uphold human dignity in the workplace and beyond. They remind us that workers are not commodities but human beings with dreams, families, and rights that must be respected.

“This conference must be more than a ceremonial gathering; it must be a rallying point for a new phase of workers’ struggles in Lagos and Nigeria at large. We must defend the principle that trade unions are the collective property of workers, not platforms for political opportunists. We must insist on democratic decision-making, periodic reporting, and the right of members to recall any leader who betrays the cause.“Governments rise and fall, politicians promise and betray, but the working class remains the backbone of society. To defend our rights and dignity, we must build independent, disciplined, and democratic unions that can wage consistent struggle against exploitation and oppression.”

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