NEC Finally Tells NLC, TUC What To Do Over Strike
The National Economic Council (NEC) has said the organised labour should be patient and wait for the October 1 Independence Day broadcast by President Bola Tinubu, claiming he would discuss issues of welfare.
The NEC hence urged the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) to shelve their planned industrial action.
The Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, issued the appeal on Thursday while briefing State House Correspondents shortly after the NEC meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
He urged the leadership of the organised labour “to be patient with the Federal Government and give more time for dialogue.”
Mutfwang disclosed that the welfare of Nigerian workers would form part of the issues Tinubu would address in his maiden Independence Day broadcast to Nigerians on Sunday.
Naija News House earlier reported that the NLC insisted that there was no agreement reached with the Nigerian government to postpone the indefinite strike slated to begin next Tuesday.
This had been mentioned in a statement issued by the NLC’s Head of Information and Public Affairs, Mr Benson Upah, revealing further that no meetings with the government had been scheduled, which could lead to the suspension of the proposed strike.
The NLC’s stance came as the United Action Front of Civil Society, an organised platform of civil society groups and activists announced a sit-in in favour of the indefinite strike.
The statement reads: “Accordingly, we find it necessary to make clarifications. Firstly, we do not have any agreement with the government to suspend the planned strike action. Neither do we have any date for a meeting with government that may lead to the suspension of the proposed strike.
“While we do not intend to demean or minimise the office of the Minister of Labour and Employment, this matter is beyond the ministry. This should have been obvious to them during our most recent meeting.
“Secondly, while we appreciate the role played by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, in securing the release of the executives of the National Union of Road Transport Workers from unlawful/illegal police detention, we take exception to the ministry describing these executives as factional leaders,” the statement added.
