BOSSTYCOONZ

Trade unionism Is A Call – Lakemfa,OATUU Secretary General

Owei Lakemfa

Celebrating the centenary of trade unionism in Nigeria, Comrade Owei Lakemfa, Secretary General, Organisation of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU),at the 17th annual Kolagbodi memorial lecture, submitted that trade unionism is a call.

He explained, “The unionist must choose who to serve for he cannot serve the worker and the employer equally. As a leader, he is expected to represent workers, liaise, dialogue and negotiate with employers, and, at all times, defend workers interests. He must always be loyal to the worker.”
Lakemfa pointed that “in the overall interest of the work place, the trade unionist must work with employers to promote industrial peace and harmony.”

The OATUU scribe explained: “The unionist must never forget that workers and employers have fundamentally divergent interests. The primary interests of the worker is to sell his physical and mental labour as high a price as is possible, while the basic interest of the employer is to make as much profit as possible even, if in some cases, he has to under cut labour.”
Lakamfa, who was also Labour Editor, Vanguard Newspapers, added, “The world is ruled by ideas while vision propels institution; therefore, any trade unionist with no ideas or vision is a danger to the labour movement.
Commenting on trade unionism in Africa, he said,“Africa cannot develop within the present global set up, unless it integrates at least its economy. So the trade unions need to play a major role in this campaign.” [Vanguard]