October 3 Strike: NLC Will Only Back Down If—Labour Spokesman

October 3 Strike

OpenLife Nigeria reports that following the boycott of an emergency meeting between the organised labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress and the Federal Government on Friday which was scheduled for 3pm at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, tension has mounted across the country over possible devastation outcome of such industrial action.

The Federal Government had called an emergency meeting with the leaders of the organised labour at the Conference Room of the Office of the President’s Chief of Staff.

Among other goals, Friday’s meeting was meant to talk the labour movement out of its planned nationwide strike from Tuesday, October 3, 2023.

On September 26, the NLC and TUC disclosed plans to commence an indefinite strike on October 3 to protest the cost of living crisis after the scrapping of petrol subsidy by President Bola Tinubu during his inauguration on May 29, 2023.

The unions also directed their state chapters and affiliates to mobilise for the shutdown of critical facilities and infrastructure such as airports, seaports, electricity grids and fuel supply nationwide.

“It’s going to be a total shutdown…until the government meets the demand of Nigerian workers, and in fact, Nigerian masses,” the union leaders affirmed in a joint statement on Tuesday.

They accused the Federal Government of refusing to “meaningfully engage and reach agreements with organised labour on critical issues of the consequences of the unfortunate hike in the price of petrol, which has unleashed massive suffering on Nigeria workers and masses.”

Speaking on the proposed strike on Saturday on Arise TV, spokesman of the labour union, Comrade Benson Upah said there is no going back on the strike slated for October 3.

“Nothing has changed. We are ready for the strike, except if Tinubu demonstrates political will to do the needful and show empathy for the people,” he stated emphatically.

He explained that the All Progressives Congress, APC led administration has unleashed pains on Nigerians which provoked the proposed strike by labour union.

“President Tinubu did not hit the ground running as been bandied by his promoters. His policies have caused pains , fears, suffering, impoverishment and hunger in the land due to the hike in the price of petrol.”

Further, Comrade Benson Upah clarified that there has never been disunity between Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, as being speculated in several quarters.