Most goverment owned organizations and institutions for Nigeria fit dey closed today as di kontri two biggest labou unions, di Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and di Trade Union Congress (TUC) don begin one indefinite nationwide strike.
Di organised labour unions declare di industrial action on Monday, 13 November for one press briefing.
Dem direct dia members all ova di kontri to withdraw dia services and stay for house from di midnight of 13 November.
President of di President of TUC, Festus Osifo, wey tok on behalf of di two labour unions say di strike go continue until “government at all levels wake up to dia responsibilities”.
“In furtherance to di decision of di Joint National Executive Council (NEC) of NLC and TUC, all workers for Nigeria dey hereby directed to withdraw dia services effective 12:00 midnight today, 13th November 2023.
“Consequently, all affiliates and state councils of NLC/TUC dey directed to issue circulars for maximum compliance and make dem make dis circulars available to di National Secretariats or post am to di NEC and CWC WhatsApp platforms,” di unions tok for one joint statement.
Di organised unions dey go ahead wit di planned strike despite one restriction from di National Industrial Court wey order dem not to go on strike.
E neva dey clear how long di strike go last dis time, but e dey expected to affect major services for hospitals, railway stations, health sector and schools for Africa biggest economy.
Di unions bin don threaten to go on strike at least three times since President Bola Tinubu enta office for May.
Dem quickly suspend one strike last month pending discussions wit di goment – afta one meeting wit di president on di first day of di strike.
Dem say goment fail to meet wit dia demands within di one-month deadline dem give.
Why NLC/TUC dey embark on strike?
Di strike na part of labour move to push for justice for di NLC national President Joe Ajaero wey suspected thugs attack for Owerri, Imo State on 1 November.
Ajaero and oda NLC members bin dey di south-east state to fight for di rights of workers wey government bin dey owe 31 months salaries plus di ova ten thousand ghost workers dem claim say dem unjustly declare as ghost workers.
However, according to di union leaders, suspected agents of di state and security operatives bin assault Ajaero badly, bundle am and odas put inside one van and detain dem briefly.
Following di incident, NLC and TUC bin threaten to go on nationwide strike on 14 November, if di goment fail to meet dia demands, wey include di resignation of one police officer.
“We demand say make di Area Commander wey lead di police to carry out di brutalisation dey relieved of im duties and make e face prosecution.
We also want make dem arrest and prosecute di Imo state Govnor Hope Uzodinma Special Adviser on Special Duties, Chinasa Nwaneri, wey lead di touts.” Di union tok.
Asuu dey join di strike?
Di Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) don also order dia members to follow for di strike.
According to one statement by di ASSU President, Emmanuel Osodeke, e say “as affiliate of di NLC, all members of our union dey hereby directed to join dis action of NLC to protect di interest of di workers plus di leadership of di union.
No be only ASUU dey join di strike, di Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANIP) and di Colleges of Education Staff Union (COEASU) don ask dia members to fully comply wit di strike.
Apart from di education institutions, di Medical and Health workers Union of Nigeria for one circular, order dia members to join di labour union indefinite strike.
Di transport sector wey include di Nigeria Union of Railway Workers and di Nigeria Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria follow join di strike.
Other affected sectors include di National Union of Electricity Employees (NUES) and National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees. NUES for inside statement say dem go withdraw dia services nationwide from Tuesday, 14 November.
Also, di financial institutions direct all dia members for bank, insurance plus oda financial institutions to stay off duty from 14 November until wen di congress decide to call off di industrial action.
But despite say dis circulars dey out, e no clear if members of dis unions go comply with di directive to strike 100%
How Nigeria goment react
Di federal goment bin ask di Nigeria Labour Congress (TUC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) to cancel dia planned nationwide strike.
For one statement on Monday night, Kamarudeen Ogundele, di Special Assistant Communication & Publicity to di Attorney General of di Federation & Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi, bin remind di unions about one court order wey ban dem from going on strike.
Di President of di National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Justice B. B. Kanyip bin grant di interim order on 10 November.
“We wish to remind di Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress say one subsisting court order dey wey stop di unions and dia affiliates from embarking on di strike,” di statement tok.
Di federal goment bin call on di unions to “respect di court order and obey di principle of di rule of law. E say no need to resort to self-help.
“We urge workers to report for duties and make dem no entertain any y fear as dia safety dey guaranteed and go dey protected within di ambit of law”.
