The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) clarified its stance, refuting claims of backing out of the industrial action initiated by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC.
The TUC President, Festus Osifo, addressed the matter in a follow-up interview on Tuesday, September 19, 2023.
The two-week warning strike, organised by the NLC, had raised questions about the unity of labor unions in Nigeria.
Ajaero, the President of the NLC, had previously asserted during a televised interview on Channels Television's Politics Today that the TUC was attempting to distance itself from an action it never initiated.
However, President Festus Osifo countered this claim, stating unequivocally, "No, we never backed out from the strike we did not call."
Osifo went on to explain the customary protocol for organising a strike, emphasising the need for mutual consultation and strategy development between the involved unions.
"In that plan, there are a lot of things that are looked at. You define your clear-cut strategy; you define the timing. You define how you're going to isolate the downtrodden Nigerians. All these things are defined before both parties will now come and announce a strike action," President Osifo stated.
Furthermore, Osifo highlighted the TUC's disappointment in not being contacted by the NLC regarding the warning strike. He expressed his amazement, as TUC members and leadership first learned of the strike through media reports.
To address the situation, TUC's leadership convened various organ meetings, including the National Administrative Council (NAC), Central Working Committee (CWC), and National Executive Council (NEC), to deliberate on the matter.
Osifo explained, "After looking at it, TUC felt that there was no time for TUC to go on strike. You will renege when there is a plan. So, if both parties agree to do something and one party now says, 'No, I am no longer doing it,' that is when you backtrack."