THE EXECUTIVE Director, Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), Engr. Yunusa Zakari Ya’u, has counselled labour unions to focus more on policies that promote workers’ welfare.
Ya’u, popularly addressed as YZ, gave the advice at the inauguration of a three-day training exercise for trade union leaders and educators on Wednesday in Kano.
The training programme is designed to revive trade union education to equip trade unionists with requisite skills and knowledge to effectively represent workers through collective bargaining to win meaningful victories.
According to YZ, effective labour representation must go beyond “bread and butter unionism,” it must be tailored to address broader forces shaping industrial relations and workers’ welfare.
He warned that unless unions understand and engage with political leaders and policy frameworks, they risk being side-lined.
“Trade unionists must pay attention to political processes and policy directions. These policies affect the space in which unions operate, and union members should have the analytical skills to critique existing frameworks and propose viable alternatives,” he said.
He said the exercise was part of CITAD’s broader work, stressing that meaningful social change could only happen when people become active participants in shaping the society.
“Over the past decade, many civil society efforts have been limited to passive engagements such as election and budget monitoring. While these are important, they do not in themselves transform society.
“We believe that by building the capacity of people to engage critically and actively in all spheres of life, not just elections, we can spark meaningful change.
“If you have passive members who are not critical, unions become docile. But, if you build a culture of accountability and active engagement within the unions, then the movement regains its vitality and independence,” he said. (NAN)
