The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have announced that they would be proceeding on a nationwide indefinite strike with effect from Tuesday 3 October 2023 to press home their demand to ameliorate the hardship Nigerians are facing.
At a joint news conference at the Labour House, Abuja, the two unions directed workers to withdraw their services on that day.
The NLC president, Joe Ajaero, explained that the indefinite strike was necessitated by the federal government’s failure to meet the demands raised by both unions.
“The NLC and TUC met in a session and observed that whereas there is no disagreement between government and labor on the existence of mass suffering, impoverishment, and hunger in the country as a result of the hike in the price of petrol, which demands an urgent need for remedial action, the government has totally abdicated its responsibility and has shown gross unwillingness to act, abandoning the Nigerian people and workers to excruciating poverty and affliction,” he said.
Ajaero also accused the government of putting the unions under its whims and caprices, particularly regarding its interference in the operations of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).
For his part, the president of the Trade Union Congress, Comrade Festus Osifo, said they resolved to commence the strike after Nigeria’s 63rd Independence anniversary which is marked on 1 October.
Comrade Osifo urged Nigerians to join the unions’ rally and protest, to compel the government to ease the economic pains caused by the petrol subsidy removal.
