Despite the pressure mounted by the federal government to make the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) shelve its planned one-day nationwide strike, the NLC Monday insisted that the strike would go ahead notwithstanding the plea by various interest groups calling for its suspension, Thisday reports.
The effort to persuade the NLC to shelve the strike has been spearheaded by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, among other top government functionaries.
But in a communiqué issued in Abuja and signed by the NLC President, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, and Secretary, Dr Peter Ozo-Eson, the labour union said that the prevailing circumstances in the country and the scorched-earth economic policies of the government warrant the national strike.
The communiqué issued at the end of the meeting of the NLC’s Central Working Committee (CWC) highlighted the union’s grievances to include the electricity tariff hike, fuel scarcity, the privatisation programme, casualisation of workers, outsourcing, and the non-payment of salaries and pensions, among others.
NLC contended that government’s dilly-dallying approach in addressing the national problems had worsened the economic situation in the country, leaving it with no option than to embark on a one-day nationwide warning strike to press home its demands.
The union said: “CWC therefore resolved that the leadership should work with TUC to organise a one-day nationwide rally and protest, and another one-day for a national solidarity rally with Kaduna workers in Kaduna to protest the high-handedness of the government.
“In furtherance of this, it was also resolved that a joint emergency NEC meeting of TUC and NLC be convened.”
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