*As FG condemns act, says Trade unions inflicting severe pains on Nigerian workers
*Some workers insist Labour Unions are selfish
Partial compliance was recorded Monday following the directive by the two foremost labour unions in the country, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), asking workers to down tools nationwide over the brutalisation of the President of the NLC, Comm. Joe Ajaero, while on official assignment in Imo State on November 1st.
There were reports that while Lagos recorded appreciable compliance with the directives, workers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are divided on the primary reason for the strike, accusing the labour leaders of selfishness and not working to protect workers interests.
In Kano, Ibadan, Enugu, Uyo, Yenagoa, Port Harcourt, Kaduna, Sokoto and Maiduguri, the compliance recorded a mixed grill, with some workers protesting against the strike, while University students say they will call out their lecturers if they join the strike as they see duch as perpetually working to frustrate their future.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), were among the key Trade unions which asked its members to down tool.The union and eighteen other
unions had directed their members to comply with the directive of the two labour unions to embark on the indefinite nationwide strike.
The directives were despite the restraining order issued by the National Industrial Court (NIC), in Abuja, last Friday, stopping the labour unions from embarking on the strike.
The interim order followed an ex-parte application by the government through the office of Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, due to the Labour unions’ threat to embark on strike.
But the TUC President, Festus Osifo, had justified labour unions, saying the courts have lost credibility, while government were the district to keep violating court order.
“They would have to arrest all of us if they feel we have violated a court order, we did not see in the first place,” he said.
Meanwhile, security agencies had planned ahead to ward off attempt by the labour to close down airports as was the case last week, during the warning strike.
Early in the morning, stern-looking security operatives, some of who came along with ferocious-looking dogs, had taken position at strategic places around airports in the country, to forestall labour leaders shutting down the aviation sector.
On his part, the ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, had Monday, directed compliance with the strike in a letter to ASUU zonal coordinators and branch chairpersons across the country.
Although the lecturers had not yet downed tools as at press time Monday night, they were being challenged by their students who threatened to call them out if they ever go on strike as they would view the action as deliberate to frustrate them after the gruelling eight months ASUU strikenthat yielded no positive result and the shutdown of Universities due to COVID-19 lockdown.
Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Staff Union and the Judiciary Workers Union (JUSUN) had locked access to the National Assembly and Federal High Courts in Abuja earlier in the morning.
Although the gates of the premises were later unlocked, the unions had served notices that they were prepared to join in the strike.
At the Federal Secretariat, Abuja, some workers protested against union leaders attempting to picket the secretariat.
They accused the union leaders of looking the other way on key issues which should have prompted industrial action, especially alleged non-payment of their salary since August.
they accused the organised Labour leaders of insincerity in working for the welfare of workers, saying that on fundamental issues of profligacy by the presidency and National Assembly, non-repair of refineries, mismanagement of the Naira which has crippled the pay package of workers, and rendered them almost penniless.
*FG’s reactions
Meanwhile, the presidency has described the strike as illegal and unwarranted act, describing it as a blackmail of the government.
A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Monday, said the government was still at a loss as to why labour would punish a whole country of over 200 million people over a personal matter involving the NLC President.
On Monday, the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation similarly advised the unions against the strike, asking them to respect the subsisting court order, which it said had been served on them.
Kamarudeen Ogundele, Special Adviser (Media) to the AGF, said the union leaders were in breach of subsisting court order, wondering why the unions would prefer to denigrate the courts.
The office urged the unions not to embark on what it described as a contemptuous act after being served with the court order.
*Parliamentary workers
Meanwhile, parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASSAN) had shut down the country’s National Assembly complex earlier in the morning in compliance with the directive of the labour unions.
All entries to the National Assembly were shut on Tuesday causing long traffic gridlock, while NASS staff and other commuters had to trek long distances to get to their destination.
Initially, access was granted, but by noon there was a total shutdown, no one could go in in or come out, including lawmakers.
Cars were turned back from accessing the complex, according to Premium Times report.
Meanwhile The, it was reported that the following unions had directed their members to embark on strike: Academic Staff Union of Universities, Senior Staff Associations of Nigerian Universities, College of Education Academic Staff Union, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, National Union of Food Beverage and Tobacco Employees, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics, Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria and National Association of Academic Technologists.
Also on the list were National Union of Postal and Telecommunication Employees, Nigeria Union Of Local Government Employees, Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, Nigeria Union of Public Service Reportorial, Secretarial, Data Processors and Allied Workers, National Union of Textile Garments and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, National Associations of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees, Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria, National Union of Electricity Employees, Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria and Nigeria Union of Railway Workers.
In the same development, the Federal Capital Territory High Court officials complied with the strike declared by the Nigerian Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress.
