The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has scheduled a nationwide strike to begin next Wednesday.
The PUNCH reports that although a court order last month barred the congress from going on strike, the NLC is arguing that it could not fold its arms while Nigerians continued to suffer the effects of subsidy removal, which has led to untold hardship.
The Bola Tinubu administration dragged organised labour to court earlier in June to prevent a nationwide strike following the initial removal of the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (popularly known as petrol).
The government set up a committee to liaise with organised labour, but officials of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the NLC said the committee had failed to engage labour in a dialogue.
NLC’s National Treasurer, Comrade Hakeem Ambali said: “Yes. We issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to conclude all negotiations with labour or face industrial action yesterday by the Central Working Committee”.
Earlier, an NLC official, who spoke to The PUNCH on Tuesday, noted that the congress would meet on Tuesday and deliberate on the ways forward. He said that failure of the government to meet the ultimatum would lead to a nationwide strike.
NLC National President, Comrade Joe Ajaero has yet to issue an official statement on the matter nor respond to inquiries on the matter.
Another national official noted that the public would be intimated on other plans shortly.
Source: The PUNCH
