The Nigerian Ministry of Labour has finally given the Nigerian App Drivers Union its license as a trade union. The certificate lets the group act as a trade union and look out for the safety of e-hailing drivers in the country.
The Amalgamated Union of App-based Transport Workers of Nigeria (AUATWON) is now called the Amalgamated Union of App-based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON), according to the new license.
Comrade Ibrahim Ayoade, who is the General Secretary of AUATON, told reporters that this is true. Ayoade congratulated app-based workers in the country and said that the fight to become a government-recognised trade union started in 2016. He was happy that all their hard work had paid off.
“The win is for all of us, and we’re grateful for our friends around the world. Now that the law is on our side, the work has just started. We will now focus on fighting for our people all over the country.”
Comrade Ayoade said that the old name was more general and applied to a wider range of workers than the new name, which is more specific and only applies to carriers.
“This name is narrower than the last one. Putting drivers against workers is something we’re against. But this name gives us more freedom. And with this certificate, app companies must listen to us when we speak.”
Comrade Ayoade said that AUATON’s status as the first app workers’ union in Africa is solidified by the issue of its certificate.
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The steps AUATON took to win trade union support
Uber reduced drivers’ compensation by 40% without alerting them in 2016, starting the struggle to unionize app-based workers. The National Union of Professional App-Based Transport Workers (NUPA-BTW) attempted to alter that verdict.
The NUPA-BTW applied for government trade union status in 2017. This began a five-year, difficult process. The e-hailing industry was young and not considered vital with many workers, so it didn’t attract much attention.
The Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment appointed a new Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations Department registrar in 2021, which changed everything. AUATON partnered with the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in January 2023, which the government approved.
The AUATON combines three entities to improve Nigerian app-based drivers. The National Union of Professional App-Based Transport Workers (NUPA-BTW), PEDPAN, and NACORP all formed the alliance.
Recently Struggled
This comes after months of conflict between AUATON and e-hailing companies like Uber and Bolt. Companies fought the union after government permission in January, arguing that drivers are autonomous partners, not workers. Thus, they cannot form a union.
However, AUATON accused hailing businesses of seeking to impose a yellow union on the industry. They manage the union from within while feigning independence from employers.
They want to force a yellow union on us. Their goal is to return to an open system. We accept everything they offer without complaint. They want us to suffer and work for them on their platforms.”
Uber quickly rejected the claims, saying that it supports the freedom of its drivers.
These claims are false and have nothing to do with Uber. In an email, the company said that it supports drivers’ rights to gather, including joining unions and other groups, in Nigeria and other places.
The Federal Ministry of Labour and representatives from ride-hailing companies met with the AUATON the month prior, and following that meeting, the app companies claimed they had officially accepted it, clearing the final approval hurdle.
AUATON has united Nigerian e-hailing drivers in protest. After the fuel subsidy was removed and gasoline prices rose, drivers nationwide boycotted Uber and Bolt for 10 days to protest that the businesses hadn’t hiked fees.
AUATON, part of the NLC, marched alongside the Congress across Nigeria in August to oppose Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s new government’s hardships.
