The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) have directed its members to commence a nationwide strike over the assault on NLC president, Joe Ajaero.
The organised labour directed its affiliates to implement the resolutions of the National Executive Council.
President of TUC, Festus Osifo, who addressed reporters on Monday, November 13, said the strike would remain until “government at all levels wake up to their responsibility.”
The strike is to protest the battering of the NLC President and others in Owerri, Imo State, on November 1, as well as the pending labour issues in the same state.
They had, on November 7, resolved to declare a nationwide strike by Tuesday, November 14, if their demands were not met.
Recall that suspected agents of the state and security operatives had, on November 1, descended on Ajaero alongside other’ labour leaders.
Their vehicles were damaged, they were injured and dispossessed of handsets, money, ATM cards among other valuables.
The labour leaders and others had gathered at the NLC state secretariat to begin a scheduled protest over pending Labour issues.
The issues are a backlog of unpaid salaries and allowances, pensions, gratuities and non-compliance with the National Minimum Wage Act.
The attack, brutalisation and battering of Ajaero and others have continued to elicit outrage and condemnation across the country and beyond.
We’ve mobilised — Osifo
Meanwhile, the President of TUC, Festus Osifo, who gave the hint, said the Federal Government had failed to meet the conditions given by labour to avert the strike.
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According to Osifo, “We said those who brutalised Joe Ajaero, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, should be relieved of their jobs and prosecuted.
“Instead of taking action, some government officials started running their mouths (talking carelesslessly).
“All the arms of the NLC and TUC have been mobilised to start action.”
Court barred strike
Meanwhile, the National Industrial Court, NIC, sitting in Abuja, last Friday, restrained NLC and TUC from going ahead with their planned November 14 nationwide strike.
The court made the order following an ex-parte application the Federal Government filed through the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
The ruling was delivered by its President, Justice Benedict Kanyip.
The court anchored its order on the provision of Sections 17 and 19 of its Act, saying it was within its powers to intervene in the dispute between the labour unions and FG.
