Still working to keep workers from the misery of the ever rising prices of commodities, with the seeming permanence of the trend, the Nigeria Labour Congress has begun assembling concerns to present at the oncoming round of talks with the federal government. The president, Comrade Joe Ajero made this known through his proxy, the deputy president Benjamin Anthony, at the opening session of the 19th NLC Harmattan School 2023 in Abuja on Monday 4th December.
The labour leader had in recent releases likewise condemned the unprecedented rate of devaluation of the naira that has rapidly impoverished Nigerians. He wishes for the value of the national currency to be made to meet with the prevailing cost of living.
Workers have vowed not to be discouraged by the physical assault meted out by the Imo State Police Command on their leader. The development has come to form an item in workers’ historied grievances. The police, however, had denied the allegation of assault, claiming they only took Ajaero in their protective custody away from a mob.
Due to an interventionist effort by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, at a meeting held at his request, where commitments were made, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), had on Thursday 16th November 2023, again, suspended their nationwide industrial action, which they had commenced on Tuesday 14th November, to register their vexation over crucial issues yet unresolved by federal government, as well as against the said arrest and assault of NLC’s president.
The incident occurred two weeks earlier, on Wednesday, 1st November, 2023, when the police found him in Imo State organizing a protest by that state’s branches of NLC and TUC. The unions had invited him to intervene over alleged 3 years of unpaid workers’ salaries. The protest, capable of harming government’s reputation, took the risk of occurring simultaneously with then ongoing efforts, by the incumbent governor Hope Uzodinma, for re-election in a few days time.
Among the new commitments made to Labour, during the Ribadu’s interventionist meeting, were the citing of the perpetrators of the assault on NLC president Ajaero, for arrest and penalty. The meeting took place in the office of the office of the National Security Adviser with the Minister of Labour Simon Lalong in attendance.
Besides the assault on Comrade Ajaero, some of the ultimata which had been breached, that warranted the Tuesday 14th November strike, were based on alleged failure of government to implement agreements reached during prior negotiations. The breaches included alleged violations of workers’ rights, insecurity, nonpayment of salaries and pensions, and noncompliance with new minimum wage.
Recall also that the said forewarned strike, first came into being on Tuesday 3rd October 2023, but came to be suspended shortly after, also in the hope that the federal government will
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), on Thursday 16th November 2023, again suspended their nationwide industrial action, which they had commenced on Tuesday 14th November, to register their vexation over crucial issues yet unresoved by federal government, as well as against the arrest and assault of NLC’s president Joe Ajaero by the Imo Stat
Two weeks earlier, on Wednesday, 1st November, 2023, police in Imo State had arrested NLC president, Ajaero, when they found him in the State organizing a protest by that state’s branches of NLC and TUC. The unions had invited him to intervene over alleged 3 years of unpaid workers’ salaries. The protest, capable of harming government’s reputation, took the risk of occurring simultaneously with then ongoing efforts, by the incumbent governor Hope Uzodinma, for re-election in a few days time.
That round of strike would have been the eventual actualization of the forewarned extensive strike after an earlier lesser one of 5th and 6th September 2023 had served as an advance notice.
Recall also that the said forewarned strike, first came into being on Tuesday 3rd October, 2023, but came to be suspended shortly after, also in the hope that the federal government will be true to its promises in the face of the prevailing economic hardship.***
