Young Workers Training - Module 5: Labour laws, Labour Institutions and Instrument

The Module 5 titled “Labour laws, Labour Institutions and Instruments held from July 28th-29th 2023 at the Textile Labour House, Acme Road, Ikeja Lagos and was facilitated by Barrister Femi Aborisade. A labour law expert and activists. The paper discussed the module  from the  Marxist perspective, stressing the nature, character and roles of law in society.

Participants understood the relationship between the law and the economic systems , the legal system mirrors the economic system, as the latter is the mother of the former. If it is found that the economic system is exploitative, the law must necessarily legalize or legitimize, support and uphold the exploitative relations. If the economic system/relations is unjust, unjust laws must exist to rationalize the unjust economic system/relations. Justice according to law is thus justice from the standpoint of the dominant capitalist class.

Participants were reminded that the working class cannot free itself without freeing the immense majority of the downtrodden from exploitation and oppression. Participants were challenged to seek political power, it is only then that the will of the working class would determine the law – new set of laws would be made to serve, primarily, the interest of the working class.