Labour Vows To Begin Nationwide Strike This Weekend
The United Labour Congress (ULC) has said it will commence a nationwide strike this weekend if Federal Government fails to meet the demands of Nigerian workers and masses.
The ULC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, who disclosed this to journalists on Wednesday at ULC Headquarters in Lagos added that, “This course of action, though very painful to us at this time, remains the only alternative available to us as we have exhausted all known peaceful processes towards an amicable resolution of the dispute.
“We therefore call on all genuine patriots to join hands in solidarity with us to urge federal government and State Governors to be kind enough to meet demands of Nigerian workers.”
It would be recalled that the ULC had earlier issued a 14-Day ultimatum to the federal Government of Nigeria through its Central Working Committee (CWC) which expired on Friday, the 8th of September, 2017.
“It is important to inform you that the official response we received from the Federal Government on this matter via a letter from the Federal Ministry of Labour fell grossly short of addressing the issues raised by us and which warranted an ultimatum in the first instance.
“Congress therefore held an emergency meeting which deliberated on the said letter, which was roundly found unsatisfactory and therefore unacceptable to the organ of the Federation as our demands were not met. It therefore resolved to press on with the strike, thus issuing a final strike notice in fulfillment of the relevant statutes and traditions of engagement within the nation’s industrial relations space.”, it added.
According to him, the demands are as follows: “That the Federal Government bans the stationing of the Army and Police in our workplaces and factory premises. This will stop employers who are now colluding with the Army and other security agencies from setting up garrisons in our factories for the purposes of intimidating and harassing workers in order to deny them their rights and privileges.
“The Army and the Police should immediately withdraw their garrisons in the different workplaces where they are currently stationed amongst others.”
