The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has urged the government and organised labour to consider the consequences of their actions on the economy and businesses.
Mr Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, Director-General of NECA, made this call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.
Oyerinde was reacting to the ongoing strike by members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) entered the second day.
Organised labour had on Nov. 13 directed all affiliate unions to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike.
The strike was called to press home their demands, especially the “inaction of the Federal Government over brutalisation of NLC President, Joe Ajaero, by security agents and hoodlums in Imo state.”
It would be recalled that the NLC had declared a protest in Imo led by Ajaero on Nov.1 over alleged anti-worker policies by the state government.
According to Oyerinde, NECA strongly condemns the harassment and brutalisation of the NLC president.
“We also think shutting down the whole economy of the nation is unjustifiable in whatever context.
“This is because two wrongs cannot a make right; has the government been consistent and demonstrated enough good faith? We don’t think so.
“Will the incessant strikes by the NLC, and TUC, solve the problem? We don’t think so; the economy is already in a difficult state.’’
He said that organised businesses were struggling to stay afloat.
The director-general said certain fundamental issues or considerations by government and labour should also be put in place.
According to him, the private sector is neither the protagonist nor the antagonist.
“Well, strongly speaking, we will not allow the government, labour or any group to by their actions or inactions constitute undertakers for organised businesses.
“This is because a lot of businesses are closing down every other time and thousands of employees are thrown back into the street.
“This, we will not will not be able to accept again.’’
He urged the government and labour to go back to the negotiation table to do the needful.
Oyerinde said that If the current model of negotiation was not working, a new one could be adopted.
He said that the organised labour and government must adopt an alternative dispute resolution mechanism.
“If the same process that we have been using to negotiate an agreement is not effective, if it is not working, then why not change the model of the negotiation of this engagement?
“Also of significant worry to us, whether from the government side or labour side, is the disrespect for institutions of labour administration.
“We would not support disrespect for the pronouncement of National Industrial court either from government or from labour.
“If we have challenges with those pronouncements, there are laid down processes to follow,” he said.