INTERNATIONAL CONFEDERATION OF FREE TRADE UNIONS

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Fundamental labour rights threatened by Nigerian government's plans to deregister trade union organisation

Brussels 12 July 2004 (ICFTU Online): The ICFTU is calling for international pressure on the Nigerian government to withdraw a draft anti-union law, which would, amongst other things, deregister the ICFTU-affiliated Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the main national trade union centre in the country. The proposed law would also impose severe restrictions on the right to strike.

The 4 million-member NLC is apparently being targeted following its repeated calls for fair prices of petroleum products. Despite being a major world oil producer, the price of these products is spiralling beyond the means of many Nigerians.

As the world largest trade union organisation, the ICFTU is calling on President Obasanjo's government (letter to Nigerian President http://www.icftu.org/displaydocument.asp?Index=991220270&Language=EN) to bring its labour legislation into line with international standards. Urging the Nigerian authorities to ensure full respect for workers' rights, the ICFTU is also urging the country's federal government to allow a technical committee, set up in cooperation with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), to proceed with its tripartite consultation work and to support it in its work towards ending violations of labour rights in Nigeria.

The ICFTU recently interviewed Adams Oshiomhole (http://www.icftu.org/displaydocument.asp?Index=991220305&Language=EN) on issues surrounding trade unionism and labour rights in Nigeria as well as the federal government's draft legislation.

The ICFTU represents 151 million workers in 233 affiliated organisations in 152 countries and territories. ICFTU is also a member of Global Unions: http://www.global-unions.org

For more information, please contact the ICFTU Press Department on +32 2 224 0232 or +32 476 621 018.