From Victor Osula, Abuja
The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUCO have declared a nationwide strike on Tuesday.
In a statement signed by Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, General Secretary of the NLC and Comrade Nuhu Toro of the TUC, on Monday, organised labour directed it’s affiliates nationwide to embarked on the strike from 12 midnight in compliance with directive of the national body.
Earlier, TUC President, Festus Osifo, who spoke to journalists on Monday, said the strike will commence midnight, Monday and would remain until “government at all levels wake up to their responsibility.”
The Unions directed its affiliates to implement the resolutions of the National Executive Council (NEC)
Organised labour had on Tuesday, November 7, threatened to embark on a nationwide strike from Tuesday, November 14, to protest the brutality on Joe Ajaero, President of the NLC.
Ajaero was hospitalised at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri, on Wednesday, November 1, after he was allegedly brutalised by suspected agents of the state and security operatives in Imo state.
In a press conference, Ajaoro stated that the police arrested him and handed him over to thugs who then proceeded to assault him.
The NLC President, other national leaders of NLC and TUC were at the state Secretariat in Owerri to protest among other grievances, the backlog of unpaid salaries and allowances, pensions, gratuities, and non-compliance with the National Minimum Wage Act.
The National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) on Friday, November 10, issued an order of interim injunction restraining members of NLC, TUC and their affiliates from proceeding with the strike.
President of the court, Justice Benedict Kanyip, issued the order while ruling on an ex-parte application brought by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) on behalf of the Federal Government.
