The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has announced the commencement of a two-day warning strike which will begin on Tuesday, September 5.
NLC President,Comrade Joe Ajaero, told newsmen at the Labour House in Abuja that that the warning strike is aimed to protest the failure of the federal government to address the challenges Nigerians are facing as a result of the removal of the fuel subsidy.
Ajaero, said the decision was taken at a the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Congress.
He said the NEC resolved that the Union “Commence a 2-day nationwide warning strike on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 5th and 6th, 2023, to demonstrate our readiness for the indefinite strike later in the month and to also demand that the State vacate the illegally occupied National Headquarters of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).
“To embark on a total and indefinite shutdown of the nation within 14 working days or 21 days until steps are taken by the Government to address the excruciating mass suffering and impoverishment being experienced around the country.
“To embark on a mass protest and rally in Imo State within September 2023 in preparation for a major shutdown of the state to compel the state government to stop the abuse and violation of the rights and privileges of workers and trade unions in the state.”
DIPLOMATIC DIARY reports that the threat of a warning strike is coming barely one month after the union embarked on a nationwide protest.
Organised labour comprising the NLC, Trade Union Congress (TUC) and their affiliate unions, had on August 2, staged Protests in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and several states, including Lagos, Abia, Plateau, Kaduna, Kano, Rivers, Zamfara, Katsina, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Kwara, Ogun, Imo, Ondo, and Edo, against the “anti-people” policies of the President Bola Tinubu administration.
The protest had followed a seven-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government demanding “the immediate reversal of all anti-poor policies of the federal government including the recent hike in PMS (Premium Motor Spirit) price, increase in public school fees, the release of the eight months withheld salary of university lecturers and workers”.
The union also demanded an upward review of the minimum wage from N30,000 to N200,000, saying that since the President’s “subsidy is gone” inauguration speech of May 29, 2023, the peace of mind of Nigerians has gone.
Several meetings between the Presidency and organised labour on palliatives for Nigerians suffering hardship in the wake of the petrol subsidy removal proved abortive.
