Why We Suspended Planned Nationwide Strike

Leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC, on
Tuesday gave insight into why they resolved to shelve the planned nationwide
strike aimed at forcing the Federal Government to reverse the 200 per cent hike
in the pump price of petrol.

Rising from an emergency National Executive Council, NEC, meeting, the
president of NLC, Mr Joe Ajaero, and General Secretary, Emma Ugboaja, cited the
mood of the nation, in view of the outcome of the presidential elections still being
challenged at the Tribunal. He emphasised the need to pursue national stability
and the restraining order obtained by the Federal Government from the National
Industrial Court, NIC, as reasons for the decision to shelve the planned industrial
action.

The communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, however, accused the NIC of
continuous weaponisation of the instrument of ex-parte injunctions in favour of the Government against the interests of Nigerian workers, in defiance of the
position of the Supreme Court on the use of this instrument.
The communiqué signed by both Ajaero and Ugboaja recalled that the previous
NEC-in-Session had ordered a nationwide withdrawal of services and mass protest
over the petroleum price hike by the Federal Government, whereas the
Government was in breach of the 2023 Appropriation Act, insisting that the NLC
will not encourage lawlessness.

Similarly, the Trade Union Congress, TUC, said it agreed to shelve the strike plan
because the Government was ready to accept all its demands. Among the
demands put forward by the union was the payment of a new minimum wage of
N200,000.