Borno women trained on financial bargaining

The Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) in Borno on Tuesday commenced training of 50 women on active participation in industrial unions to enable them become responsive in pushing for their demands.

The state NUT Chairman, Alhaji Bulama Abiso, said at the one-day sensitisation workshop in Maiduguri that the training was designed to equip members on union management and ethics.

Bulama said that the training was a step down training in continuation of the America Centre for International Labour Solidarity (ACILS) programme, designed to encourage female workers around the world to build independent and democratic trade unions.

He said that the mission of the centre was to help build a global labour movement by strengthening the economic and political power of workers around the world through effective, independent and democratic unions.

“This workshop is therefore key as it will give the beneficiary the opportunity to participate in collective union financial bargaining between labour and government.

“It is designed to empower female workers to confront gender global challenges that women face and improve their living conditions,’’ the chairman said.

READ: Britain to work with women to end conflict in Nigeria, Iraq, S. Sudan

Mrs Juliana Bitrus, a participant, said the NUT was the first to avail women of an independent opportunity to push for their demands and stand for their rights.

Bitrus said that women were the most affected by insurgency but had not been given opportunity to play active roles in government policies and programmes.

“The workshop will therefore go a long way in alleviating the plight of women, especially victims of insurgency,’’ she said.