Organising Is The Lifeline Of Trade Unionism – Comrade Lakemfa
The former Secretary General of Organisation of African Trade Union Unity (UATUU) Comrade Owei Lakemfa has said that organising is key to trade union growth and progress .
Comrade Lakemfa in his lead paper at a 3 day Leadership and Organising Academy for members of the TUC and its affiliates organised by Solidarity Centre, said
“every leader and member of a trade union is consciously or unconsciously, an organizer.
Comrade Lakemfa Described organising as a lifeline to trade unionism, just as blood is to human body.
“A union bereft of organizing is a sick union and if not attended to, will die. Because organizing is like blood to the human body, it has to constantly flow. You have to organize the unorganized and un-organize the organized.. What he meant was that organizing is like an ever flowing stream”.
The President of TUC, Comrade Festus Osifo in address thanked all those present, that is, the participants from different affiliates of Trade Unions Congress, TUC NAC members and the organizers.
Comrade Osifo expressed delight at the positive turnout of female unionist while admonishing the participants to be attentive and interactive in order to achieve the aim of the training which is tailored towards harnessing good leadership qualities and organizational skills.
He further commended the organizers, The Solidarity Center (TSC) for partnering with TUC and for providing complete funding for the program.
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The Country program Director of West Africa region, Sonny Ogbuehi in his welcome address said the centre for the past 20 years on her existence has been training and re-training of Nigerian workers among the two labour federations.
The Secretary General of TUC Nuhu Toro, in his paper titled ‘Building Worker Power, Strategic Organising” exposed participants on how to build modern trade union, factors affecting union leverage , future organizing strategies and sources of union power.
Janet Anaele in her paper explained the differences between GENDER/SEX, gender as being Determined by social factors—history, culture, tradition, norms, religion, age and class, while sex as being determined by biology. She defined gender mainstream as the process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action, including legislation, policies or programmes, in any area and at all levels.
Furthermore, she expounded the approaches to promoting gender equality, strategies and tools for gender mainstreaming, the role of union in promoting gender equality and International policies as enshrined in ILO convention 190 which vehemently prohibit gender-based violence and harassment.
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