How tins be as NLC begin warning strike

“Di struggle continue, Dare to struggle, Dare to win” na di message di Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) drop for dia members to ginger dem few hours to dia planned industrial action.

Di Nigeria Labour Congress President Joe Ajaero, bin declare “total and indefinite shutdown of di nation within 14 working days or 21 days” inside one communique dem release afta one meeting dem hold on Thursday 31, August.

Dem say to show say dem dey serious, dem go start wit two-day nationwide warning strike wey go hold on Tuesday, 5 and 6th of September, 2023.

On Monday, di federal goment bin beg di organised labour to change dia mind and reconsider di planned nationwide two-day warning strike.

Di Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Bako Lalong, bin tok say goment don already take measures to reduce di impact of di fuel subsidy removal, wey dem dey implement at all levels of goment.

E tok say maintaining industrial harmony dey important for goment ongoing efforts to address di economy challenge.

However, e be like say di union no gree as dia comment on dia social media handles show say di strike go hold on Tuesday as planned.

Why Nigeria Labour Congress dey embark on strike

Di organised labour tok say di strike na in response to di serious economic hardship wey kontri pipo dey face since goment remove fuel subsidy.

Dem add say di Nigeria goment don fail to set up essential structures to address di widespread suffering for di kontri.

Di union add say dem dey worry wit di way “various govnors and organizations take dey threaten trade unions and dia leaders. Dem say dem dey shocked wit di new dimensions and shapes dis mata don take.

In addition, di labour union say dem don observe say di federal goment no gree engage and reach agreement wit organised labour on di consequences of di fuel subsidy removal wey dey affect pipo well-well.

Also, dem tackle some di actions of some state govnors.

“Di Abia goment don continue to exploit workers rights and privileges despite all efforts to reach amicable resolution.

“Di Abia state goment don continue to interfere for trade unions affairs and dem wan impose dia own leadership on state councils of NURTW and NULDE. Dem also don continue to intimidate and bash unions for di state.” NLC write for di communique.

Dem also say di Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike dey threaten workers and residents of Abuja wit di demolition of dia houses.

Dis move don gada plenty support from key stakeholders, wey include di banking sector, civil society organisations, and workers’ unions, as dem unite to address di growing economic crisis for di kontri.

Staff of one commercial bank Damilare Balogun wey follow BBC Pidgin tok on Monday tok say di strike go affect evri body including di banks but di strike go allow di banking sector express dia grievance towards di goment.

“Banks go shut down nationwide base on di union directives, but banks no be to just to collect money and deposit.” E bin tok, but as at di time of filing dis report, e never clear if banks last last join di strike.

Na on August 2, organised labour bin protest wetin dem describe as di “anti-pipo policies of di administration of President Bola Tinubu.

Di Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) plus dia affiliate unions bin demonstrate for di Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and several states, wey including Lagos, Abia, Plateau, Kaduna, Kano, Rivers, Zamfara, Katsina, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Kwara, Ogun, Imo, Ondo, and Edo.

Afta dat protest, Nigeria President Bola Ahmed on 7 August bin approve N5bn for di 36 states of di federation plus di FCT so dem go fit buy food items distribute give poor pipo for dia respective states.

Di federal goment also release five trucks of rice give each of di 36 state govnors, and 40,000 bags of maize, and fertilizers.

However, several meetings between di presidency and di unions on palliatives to reduce di sufferings of kontri pipo since di mata of di fuel subsidy removal no get head.