By ALFREDO ALVARADO

A delegation of labor activists representing Nigerian public and private unions arrived at DC 37 to share and exchange ideas in a time of a changing environment for labor worldwide.

“It’s an honor to be able to get to know these Nigerian union leaders from their country’s public sector,” said Fitz Reid, president of Local 768. Reid was able to sit down and talk with the activists during their visit to DC 37 on June 28.

DC 37 and Local 1549 President Eddie Rodriguez was also part of the union’s welcoming committee.

Among the group of 11 activists were Alade Bashir Lawal, secretary general of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria and Bobboi Bala Kaigama, president-general of Nigeria’s Trade Union Congress.

The visit of the Nigerian delegation to the United States was coordinated by Prof. Mike Merrill of the Rutgers Labor Education Center. The activists spent a week at Rutgers learning about the American labor movement.

Last year DC 37 received a visit from a 15 member delegation of labor activists from South Korea, who sat down with several DC 37 leaders to discuss labor issues. It was the second year in a row they’ve visited DC 37.

“Whether they’re from South Korean or Nigeria, these leaders are always welcome at DC 37,” said Reid. “We look forward to learning from each other.”

The DC 37 Blog is an online publication of District Council 37, AFSCME, which represents 125,000 municipal workers in New York City.