- By Kamil Opeyemi
The Face off between the Federal and the Labour Appears to be far from over as Wednesday’s deadline for nationwide strike draws near
The leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress on Sunday stayed away from a meeting called by the Federal to resolve the issues brought up by the removal of fuel subsidy last Monday.
While the NLC boycotted the meeting however it was attended by the Trade Union Congress.
After the meeting which lasted about hours, it was resolved that the meeting should reconvene on Tuesday.
However, the NLC said it has not changed its position on going on strike on Wednesday.
NLC declared the position in a statement by Benson Upah, Head of Information and Public Affairs on Sunday.
The statement said, “this scenario only plays in their imagination as Nigeria Labour Congress continues to be the biggest pan-Nigerian organisation united by a common vision/ mission and shared national values.”
“On the looming strike, we want to assure that all the affiliate unions of the Congress stand together with an unshakeable resolve to prosecute, come Wednesday, except the NNPC and Government do the needful.
“Whereas, primordial sentiments such as religion, region or ethnicity may be refuge for some, at the Nigeria Labour Congress, they have no place. What counts for us are issues such as the mindless and criminal increase in the pump price of pms whose burden will be borne by the already impoverished communities of the poor across Nigeria,” it stated.
NLC said the burden of the malevolent policy would not be borne by other segments of the country to the exclusion of the North or South-West, hence, there is no reason for those regions to back out of the strike.”
The NLC indicated attempts by the government to polarize workers so as to have its way over the subsidy issue.
While speaking after the meeting, Mr. Dele Alake said much progress has been made in the talks with the TUC leaders.
He revealed that a major demand from TUC is wage increase for workers to accommodate the burden of rising cost of living the subsidy removal will bring noting that the Federal Government is not averse to wage increase as President Bola Tinubu himself had hinted on that during his meeting with governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday.
At the meeting were the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria Godwin Emefiele, Group Chief Executive Officer of the NNPC, Mele Kyari, Mr. Wale Edun.