Begin nationwide strike November 14
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have ordered an immediate withdrawal of services and shutdown of Imo State, beginning midnight today, Wednesday.
The two labour centres also issued notice of a nationwide industrial action beginning from November 14.
The actions are taken in reaction to the abduction and assault of the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, last week in Owerri, Imo State.
Addressing a joint press conference in Abuja yesterday after their joint national executive council (NEC) meeting, the deputy president of NLC, Mr Adewale Adeyanju, and TUC president, Mr Festus Osifo, said both unions resolved to order the immediate withdrawal of services and shutdown of Imo State beginning midnight Tuesday.
“All workers and affiliates are expected to ensure compliance from wherever they are. All flights into and out of Imo state, fuel supplies and electricity be stopped immediately as applicable. All public and private sector workers are to immediately down tools indefinitely.
“If our demands are still unmet, workers all over the federation shall join in withdrawing their services by midnight Tuesday, the 14th of November, 2023.
“All state councils of NLC and TUC and affiliates are by this resolution mandated to ensure full compliance with NEC’s decision,” they said.
During the NEC meeting, the unions discussed the abduction of Ajaero and the violence unleashed on him and other workers, who had assembled at the Imo state secretariat of the NLC.
They alleged that the acts were perpetrated by the Imo State government, under the guidance of the governor, Mr Hope Uzodinma in league with the police authority in the state.
They said the decision to embark on an industrial action in Imo was purely in keeping with earlier resolution.
According to the unions, the government had repeatedly reneged on agreements, especially the accord reached on January 9, 2021 between the state government and the organised labour.
They alleged that the state owed salary arrears and that some workers were being subjected to 20 months of unpaid salaries, having been unjustly labeled ‘ghost workers’.
Recall that on Wednesday, November 1, some thugs and police officers allegedly attacked Ajaero and other members of the NLC who had assembled at the union’s council secretariat ahead of their planned protest in the state.
