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FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0861
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 7833
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 001936 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR DRL, AF/W 
DOL FOR SUDHA HALEY 
DOC FOR 3317/ITA/OA/KBURRESS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB PGOV KDEM NI
SUBJECT: BUILDING CAPACITY IN NIGERIA'S LABOR MOVEMENT 
 
REF: A. ABUJA 1642 
 
     ¶B. ABUJA 1366 
     ¶C. ABUJA 1278 
     ¶D. ABUJA 1155 
     ¶E. ABUJA 1091 
     ¶F. ABUJA 791 
 
This is an action request.  See Para 5. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Following the failed April 2007 elections, Nigerian 
civil society turned to the labor movement, and specifically 
to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress 
(TUC), for leadership in developing a unified message and 
mobilizing the populace.  Although the labor movement issued 
strong statements condemning the conduct of the elections, 
its leadership made a conscious decision to remain outside 
the political fray.  The June 20-23 national strike attracted 
a strong national following and offered a release valve for 
the nation's frustration.  In many ways, the national strike 
was the main way in which Nigerians expressed their 
frustration at government policy -- this despite union 
membership currently hovering at less than ten percent and 
the informal sector representing the largest portion of 
labor.  Given the inability of other civil society 
organizations to mount the kind of support and unity that the 
labor movement has shown, Post believes capacity building 
support to the Nigerian labor movement would be a positive 
step in strengthening civil society at a critical time in 
Nigeria's democratic development. 
¶2. (SBU) Over the past year, LaborOff has noted a critical 
need for basic capacity-building in the labor sector at the 
individual union level.  While the NLC and TUC are generally 
well-coordinated and appropriately trained at the national 
level, individual union leaders in the outlying regions make 
regular pleas for training on organizing and mobilizing 
membership, cash flow generation and management, and 
negotiation strategies -- basic UNION 101 skills.  The 
Michael Imoudu National Institute of Labor Studies (MINILS) 
in Ilorin, Kwara State offers training to tripartite groups; 
however, Solidarity Center and union federation 
representatives have indicated that, as a parastatal 
organization, MINILS' lacks the capacity among its 
instructors to address the union side of the equation 
adequately. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Based on consultations with Solidarity Center, 
MINILS, NLC and  TUC, as well as regional NLC offices, post 
believes a two-day training workshop carried out at several 
regional sites (Nigeria has six geopolitical zones) could 
substantially improve labor's ability to recruit, retain, 
educate, and mobilize members.  Post envisions a tentative 
program as follows: 
 
DAY 1: (focused solely on union participants) 
-- Organizing and mobilizing (to include cash flow generation 
and management, as well as membership base education). 
-- Mechanics for dispute resolution, i.e., negotiating 
strategies 
 
DAY 2: (tripartite participation) 
-- Implementing and enforcing tripartite agreements, 
including a discussion of the role of each of the tripartite 
partners at local, state and national levels. 
-- The impact of globalization on labor, including 
discussions of casualization, decent work framework, and 
work-place rights. 
-- Day 2 would result in a working group at the regional 
level to develop a regional strategy for tripartite 
cooperation, thereby also establishing a platform for future 
discussions. 
 
¶4. (SBU) In discussions with the NLC and TUC, both have 
expressed their interest and support for capacity-building 
training.  As well, MINILS has offered its support and is 
willing to provide a staff-member to assist with the 
tripartite portions of a possible program.  (MINILS has said 
they would request assistance to cover travel costs.) 
Solidarity Center currently possesses in-house expertise to 
provide training in organizing and mobilizing.  There is 
general agreement that the expertise to discuss the mechanics 
of dispute settlement from a union point of view would have 
to come from outside Nigeria.  Solidarity Center also 
 
ABUJA 00001936  002 OF 002 
 
 
possesses the regional experience necessary to carry out the 
planning of such a workshop if funds could be identified. 
 
¶5. (SBU)  ACTION REQUEST:  Post is requesting assistance from 
DRL and interagency partners to facilitate capacity-building 
in the Nigerian labor sector in light of its potentially 
significant impact on democratic development.  In addition, 
we request that DRL use meetings with labor and democracy 
NGOs to propose support for Nigerian labor movement 
capacity-building. 
GRIBBIN