Subsidy: NLC, TUC issue 14-day strike notice

Reports indicate that the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria counterpart have issued a 14-day nationwide strike notice to the Federal Government over the failure of the Bola Tinubu-led government to implement the agreements reached on October 2, 2023, following the removal of the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit known as petrol.

According to the Punch, leaders of the NLC and TUC are reportedly sad that despite organised labour’s efforts to ensure industrial peace, the Federal Government seems unperturbed by the mass suffering and hardship across the country.

The October 2 agreement was “focused on addressing the massive suffering and the general harsh socioeconomic consequences of the ill-conceived and ill-executed IMF/World Bank-induced hike in the price of PMS and the devaluation of the naira. These dual policies have had, as we predicted, dire economic consequences for the masses and workers of Nigeria,” the statement posited.

Speaking further, the unions lamented that “it is regrettable that we are compelled to resort to such measures, but the persistent neglect of the welfare of citizens and Nigerian workers and the massive hardship leave us with no choice.

Effective February 9 (tomorrow), among others, the two labour unions said, “Constrained by this development and recognising the urgency of the situation and the imperative of ensuring the protection and defence of the rights and dignity of Nigerian workers and citizens, the NLC and TUC hereby issue a stern ultimatum to the Federal Government to honour their part of the understanding within 14 days from tomorrow, the 9th day of February 2024.”

The Federal Government had among other things promised the implementation of a N35,000 wage award for civil servants which however has not been paid up to date.