The Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have announced that they will begin an indefinite strike on October 3, 2023.
The strike was announced on Tuesday in Abuja by TUC President Festus Osifo at a news conference accompanied by NLC President Joe Ajaero.
The first speaker, Ajaero, blasted the federal government for its “lackadaisical” response to union demands since the subsidy removal programme went into effect.
On the 5th and 6th of September 2023, he led a successful nationwide warning strike that lasted for 2 days and accused the administration of deliberately refusing to engage in a meaningful and constructive discourse within the ambits of good faith within the 21-day ultimatum.
According to the president of the NLC, the NEC and TUC have met multiple times to discuss the current condition of affairs in the country, taking into account the widespread sufferings and deprivation experienced by people in all of the federation’s states.
He stated that both NECs were in agreement that the government was being deliberately slow to address the impact of the recent increase in the price of petrol on Nigerians.
Ajaero added that the NLC and the TUC NEC-in-session agreed that the massive suffering, poverty, and hunger in the country as a result of the increase in the price of Petrol requires immediate action to rectify the situation.
He claimed that the government had completely refused to take any action and had abandoned the people and workers of Nigeria to their dire circumstances.
Further, he claimed that the federal government was constantly grandstanding and blocking any opportunities for constructive conversation with organised workers on how to alleviate the widespread hunger and suffering in Nigeria.
“The Government has continued to show not only an unwillingness to alleviate the massive hardship in the country, but also a complete lack of intention to take positive steps and empathy for the multidimensionally impoverished citizens of Nigeria as a result of the unconscionable hike in the price of Petrol (PMS) by the Government.
For this reason, “the federal Government has not met in any substantial way, the demands of Nigerian workers and peoples as previously canvassed in our mutually agreed roadmap to salvaging the economy and protecting workers and Nigerians from the monumental hardship.”
Trade unions continue to confront grave threat from the State via the violent and oppressive force of the Police and Government, despite the expiration of the grace period granted by the two labour centres.
The police have cloned the leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), allowing the government to continue its unlawful occupation of the union.
The Lagos State administration has ignored the courts and the law in its illegal occupation of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN).
“That the State has continued to blackmail and sponsor serious campaigns of calumny against trade union leaders in the social media using its buying and coercive powers instead of making efforts to lift the burden on the masses,” the NLC President said.
In light of the spirit of the Independence Day celebration and to demonstrate our desire for a truly independent Nigeria, the NLC and TUC NEC-in-Session resolved as follows,” Osifo said at the mike. “to, in the spirit of the Independence Day celebration and to take our destinies in our own hands and save our nation.”
To commence a nationwide shutdown that would last indefinitely at midnight on Tuesday, October 3, 2023. For all Nigerian employees to notify their employers on or before October 3 that they will no longer be providing their services as of that date.
“To order all chapters and state councils to begin organising immediately for action to hold demonstrations and rallies on the streets until the government accedes to our demands.”
To help our government make the people the focus once again of its policies and activities, we call on all patriotic Nigerians to work together across the country.
