The Nigeria Labour Congress is set to initiate a two-day warning strike on September 5, 2023, as a precursor to a full-scale nationwide shutdown scheduled to commence in 21 days.
This decision emerged from their National Executive Council meeting held in the early hours of Friday.
In a joint statement issued by the labor center’s national president, Joe Ajaero, and Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja, it was declared that this course of action was taken due to the failure of the Tinubu government to engage in dialogue with organized labor and address the impact of the subsidy removal on Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) on the vulnerable population.
Previously, in August, the organized labor had staged a one-day protest that disrupted activities in major cities across the country.
Among the reasons listed for mobilizing their members for the impending nationwide shutdown were allegations of the Nigeria Police besieging the National Union of Road Transport Workers’ national headquarters, worker rights exploitation in Imo State, interference in trade union affairs by the Abia State Government, and proposed demolitions by the new Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, among others.
As part of their resolutions, the NLC NEC has decided to:
1. Initiate a total and indefinite shutdown of the nation within 14 working days or 21 days from today, pending government actions to alleviate mass suffering and impoverishment across the country.
2. Commence a two-day nationwide warning strike on September 5th and 6th, 2023, as a demonstration of their readiness for the extended strike later in the month. This strike also serves as a demand for the state to vacate the illegally occupied National Headquarters of the National Union of Road Transport Workers.
3. Organize a mass protest and rally in Imo State within September 2023 to compel the state government to cease its abuse and violation of worker and trade union rights.
4. Initiate the shutdown of Airpeace Airline and other companies in the aviation sector involved in violating workers’ rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining.
5. Encourage communities nationwide to report disputes involving members of the Amalgamated Union of Food Stuffs and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria to the authorities for amicable resolution, rather than taking the law into their own hands.
6. Demand that the new Minister of the Federal Capital Territory refrains from threatening the vulnerable population in the FCT with property demolitions and focuses on providing housing solutions for the people. The minister should be prepared to engage with Nigerian workers and citizens if he proceeds with his insensitive statements.
