The aftermath of the leadership development programme on strategic issues in employment relations in the global economy organised for officials of the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI)of Nigeria, between August 31, 2008 and September 6, 2008 in Nairobi, Kenya has triggered the union's agitation for decent work for Nigerians by 2015.

In this interview with Senior Correspondent Sylvester Enoghase, ASSBIFI's General Secretary, Jarvis Erhomosele, says that the world day for decent work coming up on October 7, 2008, is a product of the agitations of trade union movement to mount pressure on the United Nations to set aside the day for trade unions/civil society organisations across the globe to organise various levels of activities to focus public attention on the need to stop the erosion of social standards. It is also aimed at putting people rather than profits at the centre of globalisation.

Could you highlight your association's achievement on the recent leadership workshop held in Nairobi, Kenya?

The recent workshop organised for officials of the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI)at Harlequin Suite Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya, was a leadership development programme on strategic issues in employment relations in the global economy to showcase the position of our association.

There were several papers presented by international resource experts to educate our members and at the end of the day, a plenary session on a strategic plan for ASSBIFI was done.

The workshop has strengthened ASSBIFI's membership base and its financial base. We have through the workshop mapped out strategic plans and objectives through which the aspirations and projections for the next three years' plans would be achieved.

The next aspect of the workshop is the new crusade by the union to join world leaders on October 7, 2008 to mark world day for decent work.

How will ASSBIFI join other world labour leaders to participate in the celebration?

It is a fact that come October 7, 2008, the world day for decent work, a product of the agitations of the international labour/trade union movement to mount pressure on the United Nations to set aside the day for trade unions/civil society organisations across the globe to organise various levels of activities to focus public attention on the need to stop the erosion of social standards, and put people rather than profits at the centre of globalisation.

Our association is joining the rest of the globe to mark the United Nations' declared decent work day" to intensify the global campaigns for the creation of decent jobs, gender equality, good governance, democracy, poverty reduction, elimination of inequitable socio-economic relations and other vices that violate the dignity of labour.

Our association will mark the day with a national symposium that would converge participants from the public and private sectors, regulatory bodies, trade unions and the civil society in public debates, through cultural and media events. The world day for decent work will focus attention on the urgent need for a new globalisation, based on solidarity, rights at work and ending poverty and inequality

The Focus will be "Towards Meeting the Challenge of Decent Work in Nigeria: Issues, Perspectives and Prospects".

Several Nigerians from the labour movement, academia have been invited to deliver papers. The press has been fully mobilised for the crusade on ways to enlighten Nigerians and leaders what constitute decent work.

All arrangements for the crucial crusade have been made to ensure the message gets to the grassroots.

Minister of Labour Dr. Hassan Lawal, for instance, will give a talk on 'government's initiatives at creating decent work' while Professor Funmi Adewunmi will talk on 'World Decent Work Day: Concepts, Problems and Prospects'. Also, Dr. Femi Aborisade will talk on 'Attacks on the Dignity of Labour by Globalisation' while Professor Ndidi Okereke-Onyuike and Dr. Erastus Akingbola will both speak on 'The Imperatives of Decent Work for Private Business'

With this new crusade for decent work, what are the stakes of the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD)from a trade union viewpoint?

The stakes of Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD)are high for trade union movement. In my view, the GFMD agenda is strongly oriented towards filling labour market gaps in certain sectors in industrialised countries, primarily through temporary migration schemes. Not only does it fail to incorporate a human rights framework, it also fails to take account of the development needs of sending countries in critical sectors such as education and health, where active recruitment is already having serious negative impacts, and compromising the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.

We are insisting that migrants' human and trade union rights should be fully protected. This means that governments of sending and receiving countries must incorporate a rights-based approach into migration policy both at national level and in the context of bilateral and regional agreements, as well as harmonise the rights-based approach at global level.

Governments must further ensure that the attainment of the MDGs, including poverty eradication through quality public services and decent work, is not compromised by migration policy.

Should Nigerians assume that the organised labour has jettisoned the decent work and poverty reduction policies requested to reduce underemployment and poverty in the economy?

The organised labour has not in any way jettisoned the crusade for decent job in the country. I think as decent work agenda connects with politics, and then the organised labour would help government and social partners in the country to put this approach of decent work into policies and translate it into meaningful programmes to change people's lives if given the opportunity to be involved in governmental policies.

The nation needs effective poverty reduction policies and strategies that must be designed and coordinated so that the poor can take advantage of the employment opportunities generated by growth, overcome income poverty and insecurity and exercise their rights

I think, if extreme poverty is to be halved by 2015, an employment-centred growth strategy is required to create more and better paid jobs for women and men, with a particular focus on making economic growth pro-poor and employment friendly.

Policies that would harness the potential of globalisation to create decent jobs; transform rural economies to reduce underemployment and poverty and facilitate private sector investment to create more employment should be the strategic targets of the economic development council set up by the federal government.

How do you see the campaign for decent work achieving the desired result?

The achievement of decent work is crucial if we are to convince people that globalisation can work to their benefit. The importance of providing social protection for workers in the informal economy by the government in terms of education, health and well being of the population are exponential.

I believe government's contribution of stable and quality jobs would make a healthy economy and just and equal communities by the implementation of inclusive strategies for full and productive employment, including for those currently working in the so-called informal economy that need rights and justice to defend their interests.

All people have the right to work, to good working conditions and to sufficient income for their basic economic, social and family needs, a right that should be enforced by providing adequate living wages.