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Development of Nigerian Labour Congress

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BACKGROUND TO THE FORMATION OF NLC Labour organization in Nigeria dates back to 1912 when the workers in the Civil Service under the then Colonial administration organized themselves into workers representatives. This then became known as the Nigeria Civil Service Union. This led the way for workers in other sectors to agitate for the formation of Trade Unions before and after independence in 1960. By 1975 during the Military regime of General Murtala Mohammed, Trade Unions in the country had risen to over 1000 which include Mushroom Unions. In 1976, the Government established a Commission of inquiry into the activities of the various Unions and appointed an administrator to oversee the unions and come up with a structure for the …show more content…

More than that, it has helped shape political, social and economic experience by going to the trenches on issues like June 12, petroleum products prices deregulation, and minimum wage and the current removal of subsidy debate. In these processes, labour leaders have attained national and global recognition. Icons like Michael Imoudu, Hassan Adebayo Sunmonu, Wahab Goodluck, Ali Chiroma, Pascal Bafyau, and Adams Oshiomhole are now household names. Such is the impact of the NLC on national life in Nigeria. CHALLENGES TO THE EMERGENCE OF NLC AS A CENTRAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION IN NIGERIA Despite the much that the labour movements have achieved, there are obvious yawns. In discussing the challenges to the development of the NLC as a central labour organization in Nigeria, it is important to understand the context it has operated in Nigeria. According to Iyayi (2008), the most important elements in the context in which NLC has operated and will continue to operate are: (i) trends and developments in the international economy and politics (ii) the nature and level of development of the Nigerian economy; (iii) the nature and character of the Nigerian state, (iv) the nature and character of the ruling class and (iv) the level of development and organization of Nigeria's progressive forces. These factors have been crucial to the development of the

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