Shutting national grid during strike was going too far - Labour veterans

Labour Veterans and Trade Unionist Assembly has faulted the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) for shutting down the national grid during the suspended industrial action.

The body made this known in a statement by its Interim Chairman, Comrade Isa Tijjani, on Friday, June 7, 2024.

Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) shut down the national grid on Monday, June 3, 2024, leaving millions of citizens in darkness for over 24 hours.

The move was part of enforcing its industrial action over the minimum wage negotiation with the Federal Government.

However, the nationwide blackout has been severely condemned by many Nigerians, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, who described the act as a treasonable felony.

Labour veterans condemn unions' action

Meanwhile, the veterans noted that shutting down the national grid had serious negative economic, security, and social implications.

Tijjani, a former NLC chairman, stressed that the body was angered by the conduct of labour during the last industrial action, describing the tampering with the national grid as an apparent treasonable felony.

“Once again, we write to express our anger and grave dissatisfaction with the way the recent strike was conducted by the Nigerian Labour Congress.

“In particular, we are miffed by the apparent treasonable felony committed by the striking Labour leaders in bringing down the national grid, stopping citizens from going about their legitimate businesses, forceful eviction of law-abiding citizens from their offices and employment of force and arm twisting tactics on people to abide by the strike. All these should be investigated and appropriate actions taken.

“Agitations for minimum wage is a legitimate right however, the means and method used in undertaking the strike is not only unfair but criminal and against rectified ILO conventions, which is aimed at protecting essential service sectors in any given economy from such disruption,” the statement read partly.