The global labour movement has raised concerns over what it describes as increasing attacks on workers’ rights across Africa, warning that restrictions on trade union activities, harassment of labour leaders, and anti-union employment practices are undermining workplace protections and weakening employees’ ability to defend their interests.
Public Services International (PSI), a global federation representing public sector workers, called on governments and employers to respect freedom of association, end discrimination against union members, and comply with national and international labour standards.
Speaking on the challenges confronting workers and trade unions, former PSI Vice-President for Africa and Arab Countries, Peters Adeyemi, said violations of workers’ rights remain widespread across the continent, particularly in West Africa.
According to Adeyemi, many workers continue to face intimidation, harassment, and obstacles when attempting to join or participate in trade unions despite legal protections guaranteeing freedom of association.
“The right to organise is a fundamental human right, yet many organisations continue to frustrate workers who want to belong to unions,” Adeyemi said.
“This is often done to ensure that workers remain vulnerable and unable to collectively defend their interests.”
He warned that restricting workers’ ability to organise weakens social dialogue, limits collective bargaining, and leaves employees with fewer mechanisms for addressing workplace grievances, wages, and conditions of service.
Adeyemi cited Liberia as one of the countries where labour rights are facing significant challenges, alleging that authorities have failed to implement the check-off system that enables unions to collect membership dues directly from workers.
According to him, the development has severely affected the financial sustainability of unions and their capacity to represent workers effectively.
“The easiest way to cripple a trade union organisation is to deny it its source of revenue,” he said.
“In Liberia, unions are virtually living from hand to mouth because the government has refused to implement the check-off system.”
He also alleged that labour activists in the country have faced harassment and restrictions, including incidents in which trade union leaders were prevented from carrying out their activities freely.
Adeyemi said PSI had previously intervened in cases involving the arrest and intimidation of labour leaders, mobilising support from governments and labour organisations across Africa and Europe.
In Nigeria, the labour veteran expressed concern over what he described as persistent resistance to unionisation in privately owned universities and tertiary institutions.
He argued that despite constitutional protections and international labour conventions, some employers continue to deny workers the freedom to join trade unions.
“The irony is that many of those violating these rights are people who should be champions of democracy and the rule of law,” he said.
“Nigeria has ratified International Labour Organisation conventions on freedom of association, and Section 40 of the Constitution guarantees that right.”
Adeyemi also condemned the practice of including anti-union clauses in employment contracts, requiring workers to agree not to join trade unions as a condition for securing employment.
According to him, such practices exploit the country’s high unemployment rate and place workers in a difficult position.
“Employers prepare letters of appointment with clauses stating that workers must not belong to a union,” he said.
“Because unemployment is high, many people feel they have no choice but to sign. That is unacceptable and contrary to international labour standards.”
He warned that anti-union practices not only affect workers but also undermine democratic values and industrial relations systems designed to promote fairness and stability in the workplace.
The labour leader called on governments, employers, and regulatory agencies to strengthen enforcement of labour laws and ensure workers are protected from discrimination, intimidation, or victimisation because of their union membership.
He also urged workers across Africa to remain united in defending their rights and participating in collective action where necessary.
“The struggle for workers’ rights is fundamentally a struggle for human rights,” Adeyemi said.
“No worker should be punished, intimidated, or denied opportunities simply because they choose to belong to a trade union.”
The call comes amid growing global concerns over shrinking civic space, workplace rights violations, and the challenges confronting organised labour in several countries.
Labour advocates argue that protecting workers’ rights to organise and bargain collectively remains critical to securing decent work, fair treatment, improved conditions of service, and sustainable industrial peace across the continent.
