As further increase in the pump price of petrol looms, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said it would embark on a nationwide strike without giving any formal notice any time the increase becomes effective.
Recall that fuel marketer hinted at the weekend that the product would sell between N680/litre and N720/litre in the coming weeks should the dollar continue to trade between N910 and N950 in the parallel market.
The NLC president, Mr Joe Ajaero argued that a fresh price hike while negotiations on palliatives for the citizens on the last two increases are still ongoing will be against the spirit of collective bargaining.
Speaking yesterday at the African Alliance of Trade Unions meeting in Abuja, Ajaero advised the federal government to stop the falling value of the naira as well as change those bad economic policies that make workers’ wages next to nothing.”
He said, “As we’re here now. They’re contemplating on increasing the pump price of petroleum products. But the Minister of Labour for some time now will only go to the Minister of Justice to come up with an injunction to hold the hands of labour not to respond. They have started floating ideas of a likely increase in the price of petroleum products.
“But let me say this: Nigerian workers will not give any strike notice if we have not addressed the consequences of the last two increases in fuel pump price, and we wake up from sleep to hear that they have tampered with the fuel pump price again.
“I want to plead with the government that those bad economic policies that make our wages next to nothing should be checked. If you check those policies that lead to inflation and devaluation of the currency, we will be comfortable even where we are. If naira is at par with the dollar today, we will ask you to leave minimum wage at N30, 000.’’
Ajaero stated that if inflation was checked to zero, the labour movement would “ask you to leave things the way they are.”
“But inflation is flying, and by the admittance of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), we have over 133 million multi-dimensionally poor Nigerians. I think these are the issues the government should address. If we go for a wage increase tomorrow, the inflation that will follow suit will destroy it.”
