The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to strengthen collective bargaining and negotiate improved welfare conditions for media workers.
The NLC President, Mr Joe Ajaero, gave the charge in Lagos at the 2026 Conference of the Labour Writers Association of Nigeria (LAWAN).
The conference had the theme: “Workers at the Centre of Nigeria’s Political Transition: Defending Rights, Advancing Welfare and Building Economic Justice”.
Ajaero said that journalists often championed the welfare of other workers without giving sufficient attention to their own working conditions.
He urged NUJ to develop members’ capacity for collective bargaining, saying that membership of a professional association alone was not enough to equip journalists to negotiate effectively with employers.
Ajaero challenged the union to examine the minimum remuneration of media workers in the country and the existence of collective bargaining agreements between media organisations and their workers.
The NLC president called for improved remuneration, transport support, affordable housing schemes, pension benefits, social and job security for media workers.
He said low salaries translated into poor pension contributions, while high staff turnover made it difficult for many workers to remain in employment long enough to enjoy the benefits of long-term service.
Ajaero also urged government and relevant institutions to explore partnerships that would make affordable housing available to workers.
He said that labour reporting required specialised knowledge and should not be restricted to strikes, urging media organisations to expose journalists from other beats to training in industrial relations.
Ajaero urged editors to encourage reporters to understand the events leading to industrial disputes rather than focus only on whether workers were planning to embark on strikes.
According to him, labour reporting covers collective bargaining, negotiation strategies, workplace rights, unfair labour practices, termination of employment, decent jobs and dispute resolution.
He said that journalists needed to understand the principles of negotiation.
Ajaero stressed that negotiations must take into consideration employers’ ability to pay, revenue and workers’ productivity, warning that agreements beyond an employer’s financial capacity could lead to job losses.
The NLC president also proposed stronger collaboration between LAWAN and other labour writers’ associations.
He suggested joint annual retreats where journalists could interact with labour leaders and experts.
He said such initiatives could provide opportunities for journalists to ask labour leaders about decisions taken during negotiations and industrial disputes.
Ajaero expressed NLC’s willingness to support the association’s proposed training and educational programmes.
He commended labour reporters for their contributions to defending workers’ rights and promoting democratic and civic space, urging them to sustain their coverage of worker-centred policies.
Earlier, the Chairman of LAWAN, Mr Toba Agboola, said the association played important roles shaping public discourse on labour relations, trade unions, employment policies and workers’ rights.
Agboola said that the conference provided an opportunity for stakeholders to examine the place of workers in Nigeria’s political, social and economic development.
He said workers should no longer be treated merely as inputs in economic activities but placed at the centre of national policies.
The chairman urged speakers, panellists and participants to engage in open and practical discussions that would produce solutions towards building a better society.
He said the workshop was to examine issues including social security, pensions, healthcare, workers’ welfare, collective bargaining and freedom of association.
Agboola thanked participants and stakeholders for their support and commitment to the association. (NAN)
