The Nigeria Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has commenced its two-day warning strike to express its displeasure against the Federal Government’s failure to address the challenges caused by the removal of fuel subsidy.
This platform recalls that the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, had on Friday announced the two-day warning strike scheduled to start today.
OsunDailyNG reports that the labour union said that was its decision after the conclusion of its National Executive Council meeting earlier on Friday.
According to Channel Television, the labour union in Edo State has blocked the entrance of the tribunal, grounding activities at the court premises.
It was gathered that the election petitions tribunals for the National Assembly and state House of Assembly, which had earlier scheduled today for judgments in two petitions, had to adjourn till Thursday due to the blockage.
OsunDailyNG reported on Monday that the Federal Workers Forum (FWF) had vowed to shut down Federal Secretariats across the country ahead of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) two-day warning strike.
The National Coordinator of FWF and former Trade Union Congress (TUC) Chairman, Oyo State Chapter, Andrew Emelieze, disclosed this in a statement released on Monday.
The statement read, “We at the Federal Workers Forum are in full support of the call by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for a two-day national warning strike from Tuesday 5th to 6th September 2023 over issues of government insensitivity to the plight of workers and the citizenry at large.
As federal workers, we are also severely affected by the economic crisis visited on Nigerians as a result of the hike in the pump price of petrol, all in the name of subsidy removal.
“We had earlier written to the federal government to adjust our wages automatically in line with the existing economic realities, but that has fallen on deaf ears.”
Recall that on August 2, the organised labour had a similar protest against what it described as the anti-people policies of the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and their affiliate unions demonstrated 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.
The protest 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.
