The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has taken a decisive step by announcing a two-day warning strike set to commence on Tuesday, September 05, 2023.
This strike action is in response to the Federal Government's perceived inaction in addressing the adverse effects of the fuel subsidy removal.
Joe Ajaero, the President of the NLC, revealed this development during a press conference held at the Labour House in Abuja on Friday, September 01, 2023. He spoke on the decisions made during the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held the previous day.
The NLC has raised concerns about the Federal Government's apparent abandonment of negotiations and its failure to implement resolutions reached in previous meetings with the government.
Background
This move comes in the wake of organised labor's protest on August 2, where they expressed their discontent with what they deemed "anti-people policies" under President Bola Tinubu's administration. The protest took place in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and various states across the country, including Lagos, Abia, Plateau, Kaduna, Kano, Rivers, Zamfara, Katsina, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Kwara, Ogun, Imo, Ondo, and Edo.
The protesters issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding the immediate reversal of all policies they considered detrimental to the welfare of the masses. These policies included the recent hike in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), increased public school fees, and the release of eight months' withheld salary for university lecturers and workers.
The NLC also called for an upward revision of the minimum wage, proposing an increase from ₦30,000 to ₦200,000. They argued that the removal of fuel subsidy, as announced in President Tinubu's inauguration speech on May 29, had eroded the peace of mind of Nigerians.
Despite several meetings between the Presidency and the labor unions to discuss palliative measures for Nigerians facing hardships due to the fuel subsidy removal, no significant progress has been made.
Joe Ajaero, the NLC President, expressed reservations about the ₦5 billion allocated to each state and the FCT to mitigate the impact of the subsidy removal. He argued that this amount, when calculated, amounted to less than ₦1,500 per person. He questioned whether this funding was intended as a loan or a palliative for the states or the citizens.