The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, will embark on “an indefinite and total shutdown of the nation” starting October 3 as protest against recent policies implemented by the federal government, such as the removal of petrol subsidy.
This was the decision reached by the leadership of the union at the emergency meeting held on Tuesday to decide the union’s next line of action since the government appears lethargic in meeting its demands.
The shutdown, according to a memo by NLC, would entail “all workers in Nigeria to withdraw their services from their respective workplaces commencing from the 3rd of October” and for “all affiliates and state councils to immediately start mobilising accordingly for action to organise street protests and rallies until the government responds positively to our demands.”
NLC’s sister union, Trade Union Congress will join in the work stoppage.
The workers’ union threatened to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike from September 21 if President Tinubu does not come up with post-subsidy palliatives for workers. The cost of living in Nigeria has soared since Tinubu removed the subsidy on petrol.
The union initially issued a 21-day ultimatum on August 31 – which elapsed last Thursday (Sept. 21) – and launched a warning strike on September 5 and 6, along with protests.
Last Monday (Sept. 18), the NLC met with Tinubu’s minister of labour Simon Lalong to resolve issues over the looming work stoppage that is feared will paralyze the nation’s economy, but the meeting ended in a deadlock.
Among other things, Nigerian workers are asking for tax exemptions and allowances to the public sector workers, and a review of the N30,000 minimum wage.
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