In defiance of all entreaties and subtle threats from the federal government, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) are set to commence their planned strike on Monday as they frantically continued with the mobilisation of their members across the country yesterday.
The unions had given the strike notice to reverse the recent increase in petrol price and the hike in electricity tariffs. However, in spite of some desperate moves on the part of the federal government to stave off the industrial action, labour leaders insisted that the strike would commence on Monday.
The meeting between the federal government and representatives of the organised labour on Thursday was adjourned till Monday following the failure of both parties to agree. The two unions were expected to consult with their various organs at the weekend in order to review a cocktail of palliatives being dangled by the federal government.
However, in an apparent bid to outsmart the leadership of the organised labour, the federal government yesterday obtained a fresh order from the National Industrial Court stopping the NLC and the TUC from embarking on their planned strike.
Speaking with one of our correspondents yesterday, TUC President, Mr. Quadri Olaleye, said the Monday strike would proceed as planned, explaining that the labour unions cannot call off the strike until the agreement is signed.
He said, “Although government proposed some palliatives to cushion the effect of the hardship, we insisted that they should revert to the old price regimes in the oil and power sectors, while we are looking at the palliatives.
Definitely, that is the position as at today (yesterday). We cannot call off the strike till the agreement is signed,” Quadri insisted.
His position was corroborated by the Secretary General of NLC, Comrade Emma Ugbaja, who told our correspondent that there is no going back on Monday strike. Ugbaja told THISDAY that mobilisation for the Monday’s strike would go on throughout the weekend.
Source: THISDAY
