Ayodeji Ayenuwa
The NLC is threatening to embark on an indefinite strike barely a week after leading a two-day nationwide warning strike if their demands are not met by the end of the 21-day ultimatum.
To provide context, in response to the Nigerian government’s perceived failures in addressing the hardships caused by the removal of fuel subsidies, the NLC has issued a 21-day ultimatum for their demands to be met. These demands include wage adjustments, palliative measures, tax relief, and supplementary allowances for public sector employees. The government had committed to restructuring its approach to palliatives but failed to deliver concrete results within the stipulated timeframe.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have criticized the government for offering limited palliatives, such as a bag of rice to a few citizens, while allegedly granting substantial N100 million palliatives to each member of the National Assembly.
The National Assistant General Secretary of the NLC, Mr Christopher Onyeka, argued that such actions are an insult to citizen and call for collective action to make the government address the interest and desire of the people. And that despite previous negotiations, the government has been accused of disengaging from negotiation table, leaving organized Labour with no alternative but to take action.
According to the NLC, the strike, if initiated, will have a significant impact on various sectors, leading to a sustained disruption of daily operations across the country. The union has emphasized that they will not provide prior notification to the government before taking action.
While President Bola Tinubu had promised to restructure the committees involved in negotiating palliatives, these committees have no been convened and negotiations have stalled. As the deadline approaches, the NLC calls on Nigerians to join hands in demanding that the government address their concerns and improve the welfare of the citizens.
