Video: Jaf Protest on January 16, 2012

JAF went ahead with street protest despite the deployment of armed soldiers and police on January 16, 2012 to repress the the mass protest against the outrageous fuel price hike under the guise of fuel subsidy removal. The event was filmed by Funmi Iyanda,  producer and journalist, who embedded with JAF throughout the January movement, the biggest in the history of Nigeria

Doctors Strike: JAF Slams Lagos Government

TRIBUTE TO A WORTHY COMRADE OLAITAN OYERINDE WHO MUST LIVE IN OUR MEMORY

May 10^th 2012                                          

TRIBUTE TO A WORTHY COMRADE OLAITAN OYERINDE WHO MUST LIVE IN OUR MEMORY

The Joint Action Front (JAF) joins millions of Nigerian workers, the oppressed poor and activists in the working people organisations, at this most grieving hour, in this most unusual memorial and unavoidable circumstance at Ede in Osun State, on this Thursday, May 10^th 2012 to commit to mother earth Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde, whose short but exemplary life was gruesomely terminated by sponsored assassins still at large in a politically motivated murder.

Until his shocking and most painful murder in the early hours of Friday, May 4^th 2012 in Benin, Edo State, Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde was the Principal Private Secretary to Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, National Officer of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in 1989/90, and Deputy General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

Comrade Olaitan lived a life of struggle for the emancipation of the Nigerian masses right from his days in the students’ movement in Kwara State College of Technology (renamed Kwara Polytechnic), the University of Lagos and in the glorious era of NANS. Before joining the NLC, Comrade Laitan was the Assistant General Secretary of the Iron and Steel Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ISSSAN). He participated in several popular struggles under the platform of Labour and Civil Society Coalition (LASCO).

A prolific and exceptionally gifted writer with sharp intellectual depth, Comrade Laitan as Secretary-General of the Patriotic Youth Movement of Nigeria (PYMN) in the late 80s and early 90s authored several of the communiqués and position papers articulated by NANS in the defence of adequate funding for education, academic freedom and independent students’ unionism. Though fragile and with humble disposition, Comrade Olaitan stands out among his generations of students’ and labour activists because of his leadership ability, communication skills, editorship ability and intellectual and perceptive characteristics. He has great capacity for theorising and debates in the fields of humanities, Marxism and Pan-Africanism.

He was the leading brain behind the authorship of the 1989/90 ACAREF (Academic Reform Agenda) – a necessary review and addendum to the Charter of NANS (launched at the Bayero University, Kano Convention in 1982) in the face of the persistent neo-liberal attacks by IMF and World Bank against access to tertiary education and militarisation of the academic environment. He belonged to the generation of patriotic students who led the nationwide popular protest by the students against economic slavery, which was then referred to as Anti-SAP (Alternative to Structural Adjustment Programme).

Comrade Laitan, no doubt, a socialist and working class activist and Pan-Africanist before joining the neo-liberal capitalist political order on leave of absence from the NLC to assist Comrade Adams Oshiomhole’s Administration in Edo State, belonged to several organisations of the oppressed classes, among which are the Socialist Revolutionary Vanguard (SRV), Pan-African Youth Congress (PAYCO), the Beko-Chima Ubani led Campaign for Democracy (CD), and the Progressive Youth League Mushin-Lagos (PYLEM) – a grassroots organisation responsible for the enforcement of barricades and protest in 1993 – 97.

JAF strongly holds that the murder of Olaitan Oyerinde is a clear case of political assassination, which all those who cherish a humane society free from poverty, disease and illiteracy, must condemn.

JAF believes the memory of Comrade Olaitan and other martyrs of the struggle for the social transformation of the Nigerian society shall live in the forward motion to rid Nigeria of political barbarism and state violence perpetrated by the class of looters and profiteers in our country. We all owe the memory of Comrade Laitan and all our fallen heroes and heroines (Michael Imoudu, Wahab Goodluck, Mahmud Tukur, Ola Oni, Rotimi Ewebiyi, Gani Fawehinmi, Alao-Aka Bashorun, Beko Ransome-Kuti, Chima Ubani, Alhaja Raliat Daniju, etc) a duty to continue to struggle for social and economic emancipation of Nigeria.

ADIEU COMRADE LAITAN! FORWARD EVER, BACKWARD NEVER! ALUTA CONTINUA!

  

Dr. Oladipo Fashina                                      Comrade Abiodun Aremu

JAF Chairperson                                              JAF Secretary

JAF Condemns Dismissal of Doctors by Lagos State Government

PRESS STATEMENT

The Joint Action Front (JAF) condemns the unlawful and unwholesome action of Babatunde Fashola government of Lagos state in the so-called sack of all the doctors in the employ of the state government. We call on the state government to immediately and unconditionally recall the doctors and meet all the demands which they went on strike for.

The action of the state government constitutes a grave violation of labour laws and international conventions on the freedom of association. The sack of doctors clearly contravenes the decisions and principle of freedom of association committee of the governing body of the international Labour Organization (ILO).

The relevant adjudicated judgments state inter alia:

(661). The dismissal of workers because of a strike constitutes serious discrimination in employment on grounds of legitimate trade union activities and is contrary to Convention 98

(662). When trade unionists or union leaders are dismissed for having exercised the rights to strike, the committee can only conclude that they have been punished for the trade union activities and have been discriminated against.

(663) Respect for the principles of freedom of association requires that workers should not be dismissed or refused re-employment on account of their having participated in a strike or industrial action. It is irrelevant for these purposes whether the dismissal occurs during or after the strike.

For the avoidance of doubt, section 628 states as follows:

“Responsibility for declaring a strike illegal should not lie with the government but with an independent body which has the confidence of the parties involved.”

Therefore, the Lagos state government does not have power to unilaterally declare the strike of doctors illegal.

Let it be stated that Nigeria is a signatory to the freedom of Association and Protection to Organise Convention (1948) and also Convention 98 (The right to organize and collective bargaining Convention (1949)

We stress that the Lagos state government should be held responsible and liable for the death of Lagosians arising from its refusal to meet the demands of doctors and its disregards for the right of doctors to strike.

ALUTA CONTINUA!

Dr. Oladipo Fashina                        Comrade Abiodun Aremu

JAF Chairperson                             JAF Secretary

JAF's Statement on the Murder of Olaitan Oyerinde

PRESS STATEMENT

The Murderers of Olaitan Oyerinde Must be Brought to Justice

The Barbaric Turn of Edo Politics Must be Halted

The Joint Action Front (JAF) condemns the gruesome murder of Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde, the Principal Private Secretary to Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State.

We commiserate with his family, the Edo State Government, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the entire Nigerian labour movement. Until his politically motivated assassination, Comrade Olaitan who was on leave of absence in the Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s administration in Edo State was the Deputy General Secretary of the NLC.

Comrade Olaitan lived a life of struggle for the emancipation of the Nigerian masses right from his student days at the University of Lagos and in the glorious era of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS). Before joining the NLC, he was an Assistant General Secretary of the Iron and Steel Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ISSSAN) and he participated in several popular struggle under the platform of Labour and Civil Society Coalition (LASCO).

JAF strongly holds that the murder of Olaitan Oyerinde as a clear case of political assassination, which all those who cherish a humane society free from poverty, disease and illiteracy, must condemn.

JAF therefore demand that Federal Government of Nigeria, which has the responsibility for the security of life of every citizen, should track down the murderers. Government cannot convince Nigerians that it has any modicum of commitment to democratic politics so long as the murderers are not brought to justice. Edo state politics have taken an unacceptable barbaric turn which must be halted, and political violence, which is now a weapon in the hands ruling class politicians, must stop.

JAF notes that the murder of Olaitan in his bedroom came a few days after a truck had rammed into the convoy of Edo State Governor – Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and left three journalists on the press crew of the governor dead. Also recently, gunmen visited the residence of the State Commissioner for Information who was fortunate not to be around.

The descent into a state of barbarism and anarchy in Edo state is a product of insatiable greed and absolute lack of democratic values. Nigerians should always beware of, and reject exploiters masquerading as democrats. They do not respect the wishes of workers and other oppressed and can only force themselves on the people. The only way to end political barbarism is for the working people to organize and lead the struggle to end oppression and exploitation in Nigeria. This is the best way to sustain the memory of Olaitan Oyerinde and other victims of political barbarism perpetrated by Nigeria’s ruling class.

ALUTA CONTINUA!

Dr. Oladipo Fashina                          Comrade Abiodun Aremu

JAF Chairperson                                JAF Secretary

JAF Holds Press Conference in Support of Lagos Doctors and Taxi Operators

WE SUPPORT THE STRIKING LAGOS DOCTORS AND DEMAND LAGOS GOVERNMENT SHOULD STOP ITS LAWLESSNESS AGAINST TAXI OPERATORS

Text of the Press Conference by Joint Action Front (JAF) held at CCG, Lagos, Wednesday, May 2^nd 2012

Fraternal greetings to our dear media compatriots, we welcome you to this media briefing aimed at addressing two major issues:

1.    Ongoing Strike by medical doctors in Lagos State; and

2.    Lagos State Government’s repression of Taxi operators.

Ongoing Strike by Medical Doctors in Lagos State: The Facts of the Case

The real issue at stake is the failure by Lagos State Government to implement Collective Agreements reached with the doctors. The wage and welfare issue in the disputes bothers on violation of the principles of collective bargaining and the rule of law by Lagos State Government, which started with its partial and distorted implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) in April 2011.

JAF wants Lagosians, Nigerians and the international public to know that the ongoing strike, which first commenced as a warning strike on April 11 – 13, 2012, became inevitable following Lagos Government’s refusal to heed the numerous appeals by the medical doctors in the past 13 months for the full implementation of CONMESS Agreement.

The (CONMESS) was signed into law via the Federal Government Circular SWC/S/04/S.410/220 of 29^th September 2009 to serve as a universal salary scale and minimum reference standard of remuneration for all doctors in Nigeria regardless of location or employer. Like every other profession, Conditions of service of workers in the health sector are regulated by ILO Conventions, which employers as a party in Collective Bargaining are bound to respect.

Suffice to recall that the doctors’ 14 weeks strike in August – November 2010 was suspended only when the Lagos State Government agreed to implement CONMESS fully. The strike was resumed in February 2011 for its failure to do so and the strike was called off after the LASG re-affirmed its agreement to implement CONMESS fully.

The areas identified by the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) Lagos State, whose cause JAF totally endorsed, in the distortion of the Collective Agreements are:

i.      The demotion of ALL doctors to grade steps 1 and 2 of their various levels contrary to the civil service rules, the agreement on CONMESS and rules and regulations governing wage adjustment in labour matters.

ii.     Reneging on the payment of teaching allowance to GL 10 (House officers) and GL 12 (Medical Officers and Registrars).

iii.    Pegging the Entry level of Medical Officers and Registrars on GL 12 step 1 instead of GL 12 step 2, thus putting medical officers in Lagos Government employment at a disadvantage to their professional counterparts where CONMESS is fully implemented.

iv.   Demoting the entry level for specialists from GL 15 step 4 to GL 15 step 1.

v.    Failure to review its imposition on higher taxes on wages.

Rather than address the issue, the Lagos State Government has resorted to strong arm tactics and use of fascist mobs to suppress the legitimate demands of the doctors. Lagosians and Nigerians should therefore hold responsible the Lagos State Government for the inconveniences and agonies being daily experienced as a result of the legitimate strike.

Health is social responsibility that should be adequately funded by a responsible government. The neglect of health by Lagos State Government is driven by its preference for projects that provide cover for private accumulation of wealth and diverting public fund to service jamborees and patronage to political jobbers, rent-a-crowd CSOs, at the expense of human life and social welfare. Implementing CONMESS fully, according to the Lagos NMA, would have caused the Lagos Government just additional N10 million monthly, compared to its looting spree to line private hands and profiteers.

Thus, JAF appeals to Lagosians, Nigerians and the international public to disregard the ranting of the rent-a-crowd band of groups and individuals fronting for the Lagos State Government in the guise of the all-comers civil society as agents-provocateur who deceive the unsuspecting members of the public and use the struggle as meal tickets. Their days are numbered sooner than later.

The threat to sack and physical assault to members of the Lagos NMA cannot stand in the face of Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria on Freedom of Association and Assembly, and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions 87, 98 and 158 on workers’ rights and severance, to which Nigeria has remained a signatory and which it is statutorily bound to enforce on cruel employers such as Lagos State Government. The ILO Convention 158 (Article 5(a-c) of 1982, in particular states as follows:

“5.      The following, inter alia, shall not constitute valid reasons for termination:

5(a)    Union membership or participation in union activities outside working hours or, with the consent of the employer, within working hours;

5(b)  Seeking office as, or acting or having acted in the capacity of, a workers' representative;

5(c)    The filing of a complaint or the participation in proceedings against an employer involving alleged violation of laws or regulations or recourse to competent administrative authorities”.

·         All so-called prospective recruits should be aware that the same CONMESS is bound to apply to them and should therefore SHUN the futile recruitment exercise. It is a lost battle that Lagos State Government cannot win. Like it lost in 2010, 2011, it shall lose this battle.

·         JAF therefore demands immediate and unconditional implementation of CONMESS in Lagos State. We are resolved to rally Lagosians and Nigerians on MASS ACTION to compel the Lagos State Government to implement the Agreements.

Lagos State Government’s repression of Taxi operators

The Lagos State Government through its agency the Ministry of Transport has embarked on an exploitative and repressive policy to emasculate the regular taxi operators, majority of who belong to the class of the poor. The unlawful policy instrument on regulating the business of taxi in Lagos State is fraught with intent to impose their cronies and fronts as the monopoly of the taxi business, thereby running the poor Lagos taxi operators out of business.

In its obsession and desperation to impose this illegality, which started five years ago, it banned the use of Tokunbo cars for regular taxi business and put in private hands/ fronts a money-spinning ‘deal’ that compelled taxi operators to buy a car worth N4.5 million only from its pool of ‘private contractors’ who work in concert with a compromised section of the leadership of the Lagos State Taxi Drivers and Cabs’ Operators Association (LASTDCOA).

The patriotic segment of the taxi operators who resisted this executive lawlessness as Concerned Members of LASTDCOA have been subjected umpteen attacks by sponsored thugs, and police arrest and detention on framed murder charges; had their operator licenses withdrawn and denied registration of their cars as Taxi.

The Licensing Authority in the State was ‘instructed’ (as admitted by its officers when JAF delegation visited its office) on this illegal act and lawlessness to deny any taxi operator that does not patronise the N4.5m car shady deals registration of their vehicle as taxi.

The State House of Assembly, recently, in its truce between the Concerned Taxi Operators and the Lagos State Commissioner for Transport – Mr. Kayode Opeifa, has also been ambivalent in making pronouncement on this issue, when it became clear to it that no such law exists in Lagos State to deny the poor from running the business of Taxi.

·         JAF demands that the Lagos State Government should in the next 14 days make a clear pronouncement on the illegality of the pronouncement by the Lagos Executive and compel the Licensing Authority not to deny any taxi operator the rights to legitimate business operation or face MASS ACTION.

·         Equally JAF demands the Lagos House of Assembly should call Mr. Kayode Opeifa to order and he should desist from using the Vehicle Inspection Officers, Security operatives and party thugs and sell-out and government apologist’s officers of LASTDCOA to harass and threaten the life of the concerned members.

 FORWARD EVER, BACKWARD NEVER!

Dr. Oladipo Fashina           Comrade Abiodun Aremu

JAF Chairperson                 JAF Secretary