MAY DAY!

International Workers' Day (also known as May Day or Labour Day) is a celebration of the international labour movement and left-wing movements. It commonly sees organised street demonstrations and marches by working people and their labour unions throughout most of the world. May 1 is a national holiday in more than 80 countries. It is also celebrated unofficially in many other countries.

The day was chosen to honour the people who died during a demonstration in Chicago in 1886 when workers were striking for an eight-hour working day. A bomb was thrown at the police, leading them to fire on the protesters. Four demonstrators and seven policemen died in the violence.

May day or Workers day is also celebrated in Nigeria... but this year, there's a chant in the hearts of workers all over the country... 'Mayday! Mayday!... A call for rescue... why???

WORKERS in Nigeria today join their counterparts all over the world to mark the Workers’ Day, also known as Labour Day despite the excruciating living and working conditions they are being subjected to.

Although the Federal Government has declared today as a public holiday, workers say: “There is nothing to celebrate except for being alive.”

According to them, they cannot celebrate when they are owed salary arrears, an indication that their contributions to national development are not appreciated.

The downturn in government’s revenue has not helped matters as it has compounded the workers’ predicaments. Many states now struggle to pay wages.

A civil servant who works in the Ogun State Ministry of Lands, said delayed salaries was a very serious campaign issue during the just- concluded governorship election to the extent that it could have cost the governor his second-term bid. He said his performance, wits and dexterity in addressing the matter gave him the victory at the polls.

To him, there is little or nothing to celebrate because workers have remained the sacrificial lambs in Nigeria. “When the economy is booming, workers would not be remembered in salary increment, the politicians would spend the money and when the economy nose-dives, workers are the first to suffer.”

“ For me, there is no motivation to work in the civil service again, since you are not even guaranteed your pension,” he lamented. Also a female teacher at Mowe, Aderonke Ayodele, complained about the relegation of teachers in the scheme of things, urging the incoming administration to ensure that teachers are given their rightful place in the country.

A civil servant who works in the Ogun State Ministry of Lands, said delayed salaries was a very serious campaign issue during the just- concluded governorship election to the extent that it could have cost the governor his second-term bid. He said his performance, wits and dexterity in addressing the matter gave him the victory at the polls.

To him, there is little or nothing to celebrate because workers have remained the sacrificial lambs in Nigeria. “When the economy is booming, workers would not be remembered in salary increment, the politicians would spend the money and when the economy nose-dives, workers are the first to suffer.”

“ For me, there is no motivation to work in the civil service again, since you are not even guaranteed your pension,” he lamented. Also a female teacher at Mowe, Aderonke Ayodele, complained about the relegation of teachers in the scheme of things, urging the incoming administration to ensure that teachers are given their rightful place in the country.

Indeed, workers are always left to bear the brunt of all unfavourable circumstances. In Kogi State, civil servants are likely to embark on an indefinite strike should government carry out its planned 40 per cent salary cut.

The Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Suleiman Abdullahi, said the decision to pay junior workers on Levels 1- 6 full salary while officers on Levels 7 and above 60 per cent, was unacceptable.

When the economy booms, workers would not be remembered, the politicians would spend the money and when the economy nose-dives, workers are the first to suffer

Abdullahi disclosed that the workers, through their union, were not involved in the obnoxious decision to shortchange them of their paltry take- home monthly payment, pointing out that the so- called shortfall in the monthly allocation from Federation Account should not be a burden on the workers.

He said the Nigeria Labour Congress has, therefore, given the government 24 hours ultimatum to change its plan or face the wrath of workers in the state, threatening that all government activities would be paralysed.

“There are several avenues that government can source for funds to augment the dubious shortfall, especially by reducing the astronomical number of political appointees as well as their jumbo salaries and allowances.

NLC, therefore, warned that should the government go ahead to post the 60 per cent of the normal salaries into accounts of the category of workers, it should be considered as bonus and not salaries.”- Source: The Guardian Nigeria

"Mayday Mayday!!!