THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is currently intensifying the mobilisation of its members ahead of its planned two-day warning strike scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, September 5 and 6, respectively.
The strike is to protest against the persisting hardship Nigerians face following the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, by President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero, had on Friday, August 31, ordered the union members to embark on the warning strike.
He said the indefinite strike would begin within 14 working days or 21 days, except the government took drastic measures to cushion the pains associated with the subsidy removal.
The NLC had embarked on a nationwide protest on the same issue in August.
Its members include workers in the public and private sectors.
The ICIR confirms that many NLC affiliate bodies have directed their members to comply with the national body’s directive.
The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) is among the groups warming up for the strike.
In a circular by its Deputy Secretary General, Erazua Oniha, on behalf of the union’s Secretary General, Felix Akingboye, the union said, “We received a communique from the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, on the above subject, directing that all NLC affiliates commence a two-day nationwide warning strike to demonstrate our readiness for the indefinite strike later in the month…
“Consequent to the foregoing, all National Administrative Council, NAC, Central Working Committee, CWC, NEC and members in all ports, jetties, terminals and Oil and Gas platforms nationwide are by this notice directed to commence an immediate and total mobilisation of our members to effectively ensure their participation in the nationwide warning strike from Tuesday 5 to Wednesday 6 September 2023.”
The ICIR reports that the NLC also resolved to embark on a mass protest and rally in Imo State in September over what it described as a renewed onslaught by the government and its agents against labour unions.
Ajaero explained that the action was required due to the government’s alleged deliberate neglect and disregard to engage the relevant stakeholders through the right channel.
Meanwhile, a report says the Federal Government would meet the labour on Monday, September 4, to avert the strike.
Fatimah Quadri is a Journalist and a Fact-checker at The ICIR. She has written news articles, fact-checks, explainers, and media literacy in an effort to combat information disorder.
She can be reached at sunmibola_q on X or fquadri@icirnigeria.org