NLC, TUC Declares Nationwide Strike From Tuesday

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) announced a nationwide strike to start on Tuesday, November 14, 2023.

VerseNews reports that this critical decision by organised labour leadership was made on Tuesday.

After a National Executive Council meeting on Tuesday in Abuja, a resolution was achieved by the leadership of both unions, an anonymous source told The PUNCH, who is not allowed to disclose any information prior to the upcoming press release set up by the labour centres.

The NLC and TUC leadership had earlier called a meeting of the NEC.

The primary purpose for the meeting was to assess the operations of the premeditated strike due to the mistreatment of the National President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, as well as to review the Memorandum of Understanding that was established between the Federal Government and the labour unions on October 2nd, 2023, in regards to the withdrawal of fuel subsidy which the labour centres claimed led to an intolerable amount of suffering for Nigerians.

On Friday, they issued a five-day ultimatum concerning the detention of the National President of the NLC in Owerri, Imo State, on Wednesday. If their demands are not met, further action will be taken.

The NLC’s Head of Information, Benson Upah, disclosed that Ajaero was arrested by the police ahead of the state-wide protest in Imo on Wednesday. In addition, the unions also threatened to commence a nation-wide industrial action if their demands were not met within five days starting from Friday.

Despite the police’s insistence that they had not arrested Ajaero and were only taking him into protective custody to avert a mob attack, Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, accused the labour leader of interfering with state politics.

Many eminent Nigerians and civil society groups have strongly disapproved of the assault on the labour leader, such as Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, and esteemed human rights attorney Femi Falana (SAN).