‘No Going Back On Nationwide Strike Against Hardship’ – Labour Unions

Leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have reiterated to the Nigerian government led by President Bola Tinubu that the 14-day nationwide strike notice remains unchangeable.

The NLC and TUC made the development known in a meeting on Monday with officials from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, which was chaired by the Minister of State for Labour, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha.

The labour leaders stressed that only the government’s action in addressing the 15-point agreement reached on October 2, 2023, could avert the planned strike.

Despite the minister’s plea to reconsider the strike, citing ongoing efforts by the federal government to address labor demands, the labor leaders stood firm.

The NLC and TUC had issued a 14-day strike notice to the Federal Government, effective from February 9, expressing their frustration with the government’s perceived indifference to the plight of workers despite efforts to maintain industrial peace.

They said:

“We categorically told the minister and her team that our ultimatum stands. We were emphatic that only the government can stop the strike by honouring the agreement we reached on October 2, 2023.

“We cannot say the meeting was a deadlock because it has opened avenue for discussion. If the government had been opened to discussions, probably, we would not have issued the strike notice.

“As it is, we are not going back on the ultimatum, not with the mass suffering and poverty across the country. Well, the responsibility lies with government.”