The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have jointly declared their intention to bring activities to a standstill nationwide starting October 3, 2023.
This decision comes as a response to what the Labour Unions have characterized as the government’s “failure” to effectively implement policies aimed at alleviating the hardships faced by Nigerians following the removal of the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), according to exclusive information obtained by The PUNCH.
The President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, conveyed this decision during a virtual National Executive Council (NEC) meeting conducted on Zoom on Tuesday. Ajaero informed the NEC members that discussions had taken place with TUC officials to chart a way forward, and it was unanimously resolved that both organizations would collaborate to communicate their position to the government.
During the meeting, some NLC members initially raised objections to the idea of working alongside TUC. However, given the perceived lack of proactivity on the part of the government, consensus was reached that united action was necessary.
The 21-day ultimatum issued by NLC had expired the previous week, with Joe Ajaero expressing dissatisfaction that “none of the demands presented to the Federal Government had been addressed.”
To signal their readiness for an indefinite strike later in the month, the unions had previously organized a two-day nationwide warning strike on September 5 and 6.
Among their demands, NLC and TUC are calling for wage increases, the implementation of palliative measures, tax exemptions, and allowances for public sector employees, as well as a review of the minimum wage.
President Bola Tinubu established the Presidential Steering Committee and various sub-committees on June 19 to discuss the framework for palliatives. Despite the Federal Government’s commitment to restructuring the engagement framework with organized labour on palliatives, the eight-week timeframe for concluding the process elapsed in August without any progress.
The committees were given eight weeks to complete their assignments and expedite the implementation of measures to mitigate the impact of petrol subsidy removal on Nigerians. However, several weeks after the deadline, the sub-committees had yet to convene or fulfil their mandates, leaving NLC and TUC leadership frustrated.
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