The Nigeria Labour Congress and its counterpart, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, have given the Federal Government a notice to strike for 14 days across the country due to the Bola Tinubu-led government’s inability to carry out the agreements reached on October 2, 2023, which included the removal of the petrol subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit.
The NLC and TUC leaders express sadness that the government appears unaffected by the widespread misery and adversity in the nation, despite organized labor’s attempts to maintain industrial peace.
The accord on October 2 was centered around tackling the severe socioeconomic ramifications and widespread suffering caused by the poorly planned and poorly implemented increase in PMS prices and devaluation of the naira, which was instigated by the IMF and World Bank. The unions stated in a statement on Thursday that “these dual policies have had, as we predicted, dire economic consequences for the masses and workers of Nigeria.”
The unions continued, lamenting that “we are left with no choice but to resort to such measures due to the ongoing disregard for the welfare of citizens and Nigerian workers as well as the extreme hardship.”
“Constrained by this development and recognising the urgency of the situation and the imperative of ensuring the protection and defense of the rights and dignity of Nigerian workers and citizens, the NLC and TUC hereby issue a stern ultimatum to the Federal Government to honor their part of the understanding within 14 days from tomorrow, the 9th day of February 2024,” among other things, stated the two labor unions with effect from tomorrow, February 9.
The Federal Government had promised, among other things, to execute a N35,000 pay award for civil servants; however, this award has not been disbursed as of yet.