The organised labour, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), have threatened to mobilize Nigerian workers to embark on an industrial action over alleged move by the National Assembly to remove the issue of National Minimum Wage from the Exclusive Legislative List.
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Penangle.com gathered that the unions also declared a national protest action to commence next week Wednesday, 10th of March, in Abuja and the 36 states of the federation. This, it said will be a strong warning to the federal government.
“Our members in conjunction with the TUC, have all been mobilised and directed to storm the National Assembly and all state Houses of Assembly in their respective states,” the NLC said.
It was learnt that the strike and protest are parts of the decision taken after the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the NLC, held on Tuesday at the Labour House in Abuja.
Addressing a press conference after the NEC meeting, NLC President, Ayuba Wabba said, “After careful consideration of the issues before it especially in light of their implications to the working class family and the masses of our people in Nigeria, the National Executive Council resolved as follows.”
“The NEC decided that there will be a national protest action commencing from March 10th of March 2021, in the Federal Capital Territory and especially to the National Assembly.”
“The protest is to make a strong statement that Nigerian workers would not lie low and watch hard-fought rights, which are of global standards, bastardized by opportunistic and narrow thinking politicians.”
“The NEC resolved that the national protest action will be concurrently held in all the 36 states of the federation and to the different State Houses of Assembly across Nigeria.”
“The NEC decided that should the need arise; it has empowered the National Administrative Council of the NLC to declare and enforce a national strike action especially if the legislators continue on the ruinous path of removing the National Minimum Wage from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List.”
On the current hoarding of petroleum and the attendant scarcity, Wabba added, ” the NEC called on relevant regulatory agencies of government to rise up to the protection of the interests of the majority of Nigerians from the exploitative hands of market forces who are bent on making maximal profits from the sufferings of fellow citizens.”
“The NEC warned that should the current artificial scarcity persist, the various leadership structures of the NLC should picket petrol stations found to be inflicting pains on Nigerians.”
“The NEC resolved that all the resolutions and decisions adopted at the emergency meeting should be pursued in collaboration with the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the overall interest of all Nigerian workers”, Wabba said.