By JOAN NWAGWU

The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) has said that the National Industrial Relations Policy recently announced by the Federal Government, negates workers’ rights.

The Union made its position known in a statement jointly signed by Mr. Kabiru Ado Minjibir and Mr. Martins Egbanubi, JOHESU National Chairman and National Secretary respectively.

The union was reacting to a statement credited to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, after a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held July, 31 on the new National Industrial Relations Policy in Nigeria.

The union posited that the government’s position on the policy negates fundamental right of workers to freedom of association and to embark on lawful strike

According to the union, the rights are guaranteed under the International Labour Organization Convention 87 adopted in 1948 of which Nigeria is a signatory and had since been domesticated.

“JOHESU is particularly worried that the policy is targeted on workers and their trade union organisations.

“It is rather unfortunate that, the organised labour is serially been blackmailed by the ruling class as being responsible for industrial actions,” the union said.

JOHESU noted that while it is not averse to having a robust National Industrial Relations Policy, it must, however, be subjected to further tripartite partners’ scrutiny and inputs.

The union, therefore, urged government to activate and strengthen the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) for effective and sustainable tripartite engagements.

Such engagement, according to the union, will ensure best practices in labour administration and adherence to international labour standards and extant labour laws in Nigeria. (NAN)