Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) has advised the House of Representatives to carry along and collate inputs from all social partners in their quest to criminalise labour casualisation at workplaces in the country
Labour casualisation describes a situation where employees in formal employment are denied negotiated condition of service and associated rights.
The House of Representatives is currently seeking to introduce a bill into the Nigerian extant labour laws to criminalise casualisation, as well as regulate the practice of outsourcing.
Speaking on the development, Timothy Olawale, the Director-General of NECA, explained that while employers of labour were not against casualisation, it was important for the lawmakers to work with all social partners in the labour industry.
“Over the years, NECA had frowned at casualisation of labour, as it is against the principles of decent work and international best practices of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
“We, in fact, frown at all practices that tend to treat labour as a commodity to be exploited. However, in as much as NECA appreciates the concerns of the lawmakers in ensuring decent work for all Nigerians, the bill are, however, premature as ILO standards required input of all social partners (government, labour and employers) on any labour legislation.”
Olawale said the move by House of Reps was also coming at a time the social partners are reviewing the entire labour laws in the country and have just concluded a 3-day retreat, chaired Festus Keyamo, minister of state for labour and employment.
According to the DG, there is the need for a harmonised labour law, adding that at the recent social partners’ retreat in Lagos, treated a lot of the areas in the labour laws that amendment were deliberated upon, including the one that the House is trying to handle now in isolation.
“The labour act which the House of Representatives seeks to amend is part of the bills that were looked at and reviewed holistically in line with international best standards and the conventions of the ILO, which Nigeria ratified,” he said.
Olawale, therefore, urged the lawmakers to consolidate their position on the bill with that of the social partners through the ministry of labour and employment, in order to ensure a seamless legislative process for the bills, to bring about the needed positive changes that stakeholders desire for Nigeria’s labour administration.
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