MWUN boss, Bunu, canvases support for decent labour, says ‘democracy must work for workers’
By Uzor Odigbo
The President-General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Francis Bunu Abi, has joined millions of workers and labour activists around the globe to call for renewed support for “decent work through democratic principles.”
With this year’s World’s Decent Work Day themed, “For Democracy to Deliver Decent Work,” Comrade Bunu insisted that true progress for workers can only be achieved when democratic principles prioritize human welfare above profit margins.
“Every diligent worker deserves fair pay, safety, and dignity,” he said, stressing that these ideals remain the cornerstone of a just and productive society.
In his message, the labour leader noted that for millions of African workers, the quest for social protection and living wages remain far from over.
“No job should endanger life or strip a person of respect,” Bunu said, aligning his message with the International Trade Union Confederation’s (ITUC-Africa) position that every job must be safe, fair, and dignified.
He argued that democracy and decent work are inseparable. He said when democratic governance thrives, workers’ rights, wages, and welfare naturally improve. “Governments across Africa must allow democracy to thrive if we want workers’ conditions to get better,” he urged, lamenting that too many workers still live below acceptable standards of living, with dire effects on their mental and social well-being.
Calling the WDW not just a celebration but a call to action, Comrade Bunu appealed to leaders to make democracy functional enough to serve those who keep economies moving. “It’s time to build a future where decent work is not a dream but a daily reality,” he said.
In a statement signed by Comrade John Kennedy Ikemefuna, MWUN’s Head of Media, the union reaffirmed its commitment to promoting fair labour practices, urging every nation to make its economy “about the people, not just profit.”
