The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and the Trade Union Congrese TUC have declared a nationwide indefinite strike beginning tommow, Tuesday, November 14th, 2023. The unions said the action is coming due to government’s insensitivity to the recent brutalization of NLC President Joe Ajaero.
Labour’s position was made known at a press briefing on Monday in Abuja by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) President, Engr. Festus Usifo, who said that the declaration of the strike was because government has failed to meet the unions’ demands regarding the manhandling of Ajaero.
According to him, part of the labour unions’ demands included that the those who brutalized the NLC President should be arrested and prosecuted.He particularly said that the Area Commander who led the action should be relieved of his job and prosecuted.
He said,”We, the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC); if you could recall a while ago, we gave some conditions that we want the government to meet regarding the brutalization of the NLC President.
“So, we set forth some conditions and those conditions were very very clear without ambiguity whatsoever. We said those people that brutalized our president must be arrested and prosecuted. We also stated as well, that the Area Commander that led the police to carry out the brutalization should be relieved of his duty and prosecuted. Then, (the chap, name withheld) who everybody knew that led the thugs should also be arrested prosecuted. So, the list went on and on, and on, gentlemen of the press I think we have the list of our demands.
“We gave an ultimatum that initially expired Wednesday last week. But on the eve of that expiration we had a joint session of the NLC and the TUC.
“We looked at it and we thought that in responding to the petition that we should give additional one week, let’s see if the government will be responsive.
“In order to further draw the attention of government, we had a joint session last week Tuesday but instead of government to come strongly to condemn this criminality, instead of government to speak and stand at the side of justice and the side of truth, some people in government were running their mouth and making all kinds of statements, so the two labour centres have resolved to stand strongly by the petition of the joint NEC that was held last week Tuesday.
“That effective 00: 01hour of the 14th of November we shall declare a nationwide strike.
“So effective tomorrow or mid-night today, that strike is going to commence and all affiliate of the NLC, all state council of the two centres have been mobilized adequately, and this is going to be indefinite until government at all levels wake up to their responsibilities.
“This is the decision of the joint NEC of the NLC and the TUC, and we are going to carry it out to the latter.”
