Workers in Nigeria will on Tuesday, 3rd October 2023 begin a nationwide indefinite strike action.
The Presidents of the Nigeria Labour congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo, said the action became necessary after exhausting all avenues to bring government to the negotiating table to address the demands of workers.
In a five point communiqué after their meetings with their various organs, it said that the “National Executive Councils (NEC) of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) in their various meetings deeply analyzed the current situation in the country, taking into cognisance the extensive hardships and deprivation afflicting our citizens across all States of the federation unanimously condemned the apparent conscious lethargy and tardiness in handling the consequences of its Petrol Price hike on Nigerians.
“The Councils deliberated on the continued refusal of the federal Government to engage in a meaningful and constructive dialogue within the ambits of good faith given the 21 days ultimatum and the subsequent successful 2-Day nationwide warning strike of the 5th and 6th of September and other meetings that were supposed to demonstrate the preparedness of Nigerian workers to push through their decision to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike if their demands were not met”.
The President of the NLC Joe Ajaero, stressed that there is no disagreement between Labour and Government on the existence of massive suffering, impoverishment and hunger in the country as a result of the hike in the price of Petrol which demands an urgent need for remedial action.
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According to him, the Government has abdicated this responsibility and has shown unwillingness to act abandoning Nigerian people and workers to excruciating poverty and affliction.
“The federal government has continued to grandstand and forestall all avenues to peaceful dialogue with organized labour on ways to save Nigerians from the huge hunger and suffering experienced across the nation as a result of the unconscionable hike in the price of Petrol (PMS) by the Government.
“The Government has continued to demonstrate not just an unwillingness to mitigate the massive hardship in the country but also a complete lack of intention to take positive steps and empathy for the multi-dimensionally impoverished citizens of Nigeria.
“The federal Government has therefore 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”, Ajaero said.
He said with the expiration of the grace period given by the two Labour Centres, workers have no choice but to take the next level of action available to it, which he stressed will be to down tools indefinitely until government responds to their demands.
Reading out the resolutions of the joint meeting, President of the Trade Union Congress TUC Festus Osifo, said “In the spirit of the Independence Day celebration and to demonstrate our resolve for a truly independent Nigeria to take our destinies in our own hands and rescue our nation.
“To embark on an indefinite and total shutdown of the nation beginning on zero hours Tuesday, the 3rd day of October, 2023.
“To direct all workers in Nigeria to withdraw their services from their respective workplaces commencing from the 3rd of October.
“To direct all affiliates and State Councils to immediately start mobilizing accordingly for action to organize street protests and rallies until Government responds positively to our demands
“To enjoin all patriotic Nigerians to join hands across the nation to assist this government put the people back at the centre of its policies and programmes”, Osifo said.
The communiqué also frowned at what it called the illegal occupation of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) by the Government via the “instrumentally of the Police who have cloned the leadership of NURTW.
“The Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) continues to be illegally occupied by the Lagos State government in total disregard to the Courts and the statutes”, it said.
Recall that labour had given the federal government a twenty-one day ultimatum to meet its demands or face a nationwide indefinite industrial action.
The ultimatum expired on Friday last week.
