Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has announced the Federal Government’s approval for the registration of the Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transport Workers of Nigeria (AUATWN) as a trade union. This decision was communicated in a letter from the Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations Department of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, which was addressed to the AUATWN and subsequently made available to the public.
The letter referenced the application submitted on April 27, 2021, in accordance with Section 3 of the Trade Unions Act, CAP. T14 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN), 2014. It stated, “I am further directed to inform you that after extensive consideration of your application, the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment has approved the registration of your organisation as a Trade Union with rights and privileges as stipulated by the Trade Unions Act.”
According to the Trade Unions Act, the AUATWN is now legally empowered to determine the terms and conditions of drivers working for any app-based transportation company. Ibrahim Ayoade, the founding Secretary-General and former President of the National Union of Professional App-based Workers, remarked, “With this approval, what this means is that AUATWN becomes the first government-approved trade union for e-hailing drivers in Africa.”
Comrade Ayoade further elaborated on the significance of this development, noting that the movement to unionize app-based drivers began in 2016 after Uber reduced drivers’ earnings by 40 percent without prior consultation. He urged drivers across the country to join the trade union in their pursuit of more favorable working conditions.
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