By Aweh-Omeiza Oiza
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) are set to launch an indefinite strike starting on Tuesday, October 3, 2023. This decision was reached during a joint press conference held on Tuesday (today) in Abuja.
The leaders of these labour unions have also called upon their state chapters to mobilize for protests across the country. Notably, the leaders of both labour centres have resolved their previous differences, which led to the NLC initiating a two-day warning strike without TUC’s participation.
The virtual meeting, as outlined in a notice signed by NLC Secretary Emmanuel Ugboaja, paved the way for this united front. In response, Minister of Labour and Employment Simon Lalong has made an earnest plea to the NLC leadership, urging them to reconsider the impending strike. He assured them that the Federal Government is committed to addressing their concerns.
Minister Lalong highlighted that one of the NLC’s primary demands from their previous meeting has already been met – the release of the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Road Transport workers. A statement issued by the Ministry’s spokesman, Olajide Oshundu, implored the workers’ unions to grant the government additional time to tackle other pressing issues.
This upcoming strike follows a previous two-day warning strike by the NLC on September 5 and 6, 2023. The motivation behind these actions is the government’s perceived failure to alleviate the widespread suffering and socioeconomic hardships brought about by the removal of subsidies on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol.