NLC Insists On 2-Day Warning Strike, Mobilises Workers

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, announced that it would continue with its two-day warning strike, which would start tomorrow, saying it was unaware of any meetings with the Federal Government today.

As of the time of publication, a top NLC official said that the government had not sent any meeting invitations. He also stated that state councils and industrial unions were behind the industrial action.

READ ALSO: NLC Declares Two-Day Nationwide Warning Strike September 5, Threatens To Embark On 21-Day Total Shutdown Aftermath

The Federal Government is, however, in talks with Labour on the proposed strike, according to Mohammed Idris Magaji, the Minister of Information and Orientation.

He mentioned that Simon Lalong, the Minister of Labour and Employment, had a meeting with the NLC leadership on Saturday and said, “We are very hopeful that the strike may be averted.”

The minister stated that the administration will continue to make an appeal to Organised Labour to understand the justification for and the government’s efforts in delivering palliatives through state governors and the Conditional Cash Transfer programme.

He claimed that as state governments are more directly affected by the elimination of subsidies, the government’s policy was to send the palliatives through them, regardless of their political affiliation.

While appealing to Organized Labour to collaborate with the government to ensure that all efforts put in place to reposition the economy and turn things around for good yield the desired results, the minister said the government will continue to engage with labour to avoid the planned strike.

But NLC said its decision to embark on the two-day warning strike as a precursor to indefinite industrial action, was informed by pressure from unions and state chapters over the excruciating sufferings their members are facing as a result of the removal of fuel subsidy.

The Federal Government’s ‘deliberate’ unwillingness to uphold agreements made with Organised Labour at the start of subsidy removal, according to information acquired by Objectv Media, was one of the causes that pushed Labour to call the strike.

The National Executive Council, or NEC, meeting of the NLC, comprised of all elected national officials, senior secretariat staff, presidents, secretaries, and treasurers of affiliated industrial unions, as well as chairs, secretaries, and treasurers of state councils, reportedly became so tense that it was nearly impossible to maintain control. Members learned that none of the committees, including the primary committee established to find solutions to mitigate the effects of subsidy removal, had met since they were formed.