The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has labelled 2024 as the most challenging year for workers in the country, citing severe hardships faced by the workforce. Joe Ajaero, President of the NLC, made the statement on Monday in Abuja during the 2024 “Harmattan School,” a gathering themed “Trade Unions and the Quest for a New Social Contract.”
Ajaero described 2024 as a year marked by significant adversity for workers, stating that the period has been one of the “greatest turbulence” in the history of the movement. He expressed that labour unions have been subjected to various challenges, including threats, intimidation, and what he described as an invasion and ransacking of their operations.
“I welcome you to a year that we have witnessed one of the greatest turbulence in our history as a movement. It was a period in which we were invaded, ransacked, and subjected to the highest level of threats and intimidation,” Ajaero said, underscoring the depth of the struggles faced by Nigerian workers.
The NLC president’s remarks reflect growing concerns within the labour movement about the working conditions and the overall economic situation affecting workers in the country. The ongoing turmoil has raised alarms over the state of labour rights and the urgent need for a new social contract to address the myriad of issues faced by workers.
