Strike imminent as NLC shuns FG’s meeting

 

The likelihood that the Federal Government would prevent next Tuesday strike called by Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC)  collapsed yesterday as a result of the unions’ refusal to engage in a last-minute negotiation with government representatives.

Labour argued that the strike must continue.

It refuted assertions made by the Justice Minister, Lateef Fagbemi, (SAN) that the proposed strike would constitute a breach of a court order.

Femi Falana (SAN), the lawyer for organised labour, advised the government to resume talks with his clients, while President Bola Tinubu and Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto, yesterday urged labour to change its mind and abandon the planned action “in the interest of the masses.”

The Nation Newspaper reports that to resolve their differences, the federal government convened an urgent meeting with labour representatives Friday.

The FG delegation was meant to be led by Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, and Simon Lalong, Minister of Labour and Employment, but the leadership of NLC did not show up at the meeting according to the reports.

Lalong was seen in the CoS’s office up until about 5:30pm getting ready for the meeting but the expected Labour leaders were nowhere to be located, according to sources close to the office of the Chief of Staff.

One of the sources said: “They had to disperse since the NLC and TUC people didn’t show up. There must have been a reason and I believe they would have communicated their reasons to those waiting for them.

“I learned though that the meeting has been rescheduled for sometime during the weekend, but I don’t know when precisely.”

Labour had accused government of lack of seriousness, saying its planned strike action is on account of the current economic downturn.

NLC President Joe Ajaero said in a statement that what Fagbemi called a “subsisting order” had lapsed “due to non-diligent prosecution” in response to claims made by Fagbemi yesterday that Labour would be acting in violation of an existing court order if it went ahead with the planned strike.

“We are shocked that Mr Lateef Fagbemi is referring to a restraining order issued on June 5 through motion ex parte which the Ministry of Justice in a formal statement had said lapsed due to non-diligent prosecution,” Ajaero said.

“Which order could Fagbemi be talking about here? We demand to know.

“We similarly find it necessary to remind Fagbemi that equating a restraining order to a perpetual injunction will do no small damage to our legal/judicial system.”