Despite the news of the court order obtained by the Federal government to stop organised labour from embarking on its proposed industrial action in protest to the attack on Comrade Joe Ajaero in Imo State on Wednesday, November 1st, the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria have directed their members to commence a nationwide strike starting at midnight on Tuesday, November 14.
The strike declaration statement said all affiliate unions of the two labour centres have been directed to implement the resolutions of the joint National Executive Council of TUC and NLC.
President of TUC, Festus Osifo, who addressed reporters on Monday, said the strike would remain until “government at all levels wake up to their responsibility.”
In his words, “We demanded that the area commander who led the police to carry out the brutalization be relieved of his duties and prosecuted. We also asked that Governor Hope Uzodinma’s SA on Special Duties, Chinasa Nwaneri, who everyone knew led the touts, should also be arrested and prosecuted. Our list of demands is in the public domain.
“We gave an ultimatum that initially expired on Wednesday last week. But on the eve of that expiration, we had a joint session of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria. We looked at the time we gave and felt, as responsible pan-Nigeria organisations, that we should give an additional one week to see if the government will be responsive.
“And in order to further draw the attention of the government, we had the picketing session last Thursday, but instead of the government coming out strongly to condemn this criminality, instead of the government speaking and standing on the side of justice, some people in government were rather running their mouths and making all kinds of statements.
“So the two labour centres have resolved to stand firmly by the decision of the joint National Executive Council meeting that was held last week Tuesday, that effective from midnight on the 14th of November, we shall declare a nationwide strike. So effective midnight today, a nationwide strike is going to commence.
“All affiliates of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria and the Nigeria Labour Congress and all state councils of the two labour centres have been mobilised adequately.
And this is going to be indefinite until the government at all levels wakes up to its responsibility. This is the decision of the joint NEC of NLC and TUC, and we are going to carry it out later.”
Credit: Nigeria Tribune