… Protesting Against Dehumanising Handling Of The NLC President, Joe Ajaero With Other Executive Members In Owerri, Imo State On 1stvNovember…
…As President Tinubu Attends Saudi-Africa Summit, Observes Lesser Hajj In Saudi Arabia, praying for peace and unity, progress and property of the country…
…Will the Nigerian workers, especially those in the federal government, respond to the call to strike because of the Imo incident under investigation when they have started enjoying N35,000 additional to their salaries to cushion the effect of subsidiaries removal with attendant economic realities?
…It’s unlikely that the industrial action will make any impact because of an individual at the expense of no work no pay policy…
The Organised Labour comprising of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress have ignored the National Industrial Court restraining them from embarking on any form of strike or industrial action.
This is coming at a time when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu left for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the Saudi-Africa Summit and to Mecca for lesser Hajj
The trade unions have on Wednesday written their affiliates namely, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, National Union of Electricity Employees, Nigeria Union of Teachers, Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria and the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics among others to go ahead with the planned nationwide strike scheduled to begin midnight, November 14, 2023.
The strike is aimed at protesting against dehumanising treatment of the NLC President, Joe Ajaero with other executives members in Owerri, Imo State on November 1, 2023.
The letter to the affiliates was jointly signed by the National Secretary of the NLC, Emmanuel Ugboaja and the Secretary General of the Trade Union Congress, Nuhu Toro.
The letter reads:
“Fraternal Greetings!
“NLC/TUC NATIONWIDE STRIKE ACTION: A GENTLE REMINDER
“In furtherance to the decision of the Joint National Executive Council (NEC) of NLC and TUC, all workers in Nigeria are hereby directed to withdraw their services effective 12:00 midnight today, 13th November 2023.
“Consequently, all affiliates and state councils of NLC/TUC are directed to issue circulars for maximum compliance and these circulars be made available to the National Secretariats or posted to the NEC and CWC Whatsapp Platforms.
“While we shall update you with developments as they unfold, do remain assured of our commitment to Nigerian workers and people.
NLC/TUC stronger together!!”
The Periscope Global has earlier reported that the National Industrial Court, has restrained the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) as well as their affiliates from embarking on any form of strike or industrial action.
The two major Labour unions were ordered to stop their nationwide strike scheduled to commence on Tuesday, November 14.
President of the Court, Justice Benedict Bakwaph Kanyip, issued the Restraining Order following an Ex-parte application to that effect brought before the court by the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice.
Justice Kanyip invoked Sections 17 and 19 of the National Industrial Court Act to issue the Restraining Order against the Labour.
The Federal Government and the AGF through their lawyer, Tijani Gazali, had in the Ex-parte application prayed the court to stop the planned strike so as to prevent untold hardships that would be inflicted on innocent law-abiding citizens and their businesses.
Gazali, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and Director of Civil Appeals in the Federal Ministry of Justice, while arguing the Ex-parte application, drew the attention of Justice Kanyip to series of hardships suffered by Nigerians on Thursday alone, when the Labour unions blocked entrances to the main airports in the country.
The Judge, who was persuaded by the government arguments in a short ruling, said that ‘’it is within the power of the court to intervene by way of restraining order to ensure peace and tranquility.’’
Justice Kanyip directed that the restraining order be pasted on the wall of the Labour House, being the last known address of the two defendants to draw their attention to the court’s position.
The judge also directed that the order, along with the originating and other processes, be served on the defendants by publication in two major national dailies.
Some social commentators observed that “there’s political undertones associated with the call for industrial action over a case of brutality against one person that is currently under investigation while the Federal government has started responding to the demands of the workers battling harsh economic situation.
“The National Industrial Court order restraining the industrial action and the imposition of no work may affect the total compliance to the industrial action”.