Leaders of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC on Friday, shunned a meeting called by the Federal Government in an attempt to stop the planned nationwide strike from October 3.
According to the two labour unions, government’s invitation came late as they had scheduled engagements outside Abuja, the federal capital.
The government had, on Friday, summoned an emergency meeting with the leaders of NLC and TUC in an effort to sway organized labour and its allies to shelve the industrial action.
It was gathered that the meeting, which was scheduled for Friday, 12 noon at Aso Villa, Conference Room of the Office of the Chief of Staff to Mr. President, was later shifted to evening, to allow NLC and TUC to reach their leaders outside Abuja.
Recall that the NLC and TUC, had on September 26, declared indefinite strike starting from October 3.
The planned nationwide strike, among others, is to force the government to address its alleged insensitivity to the plights of Nigerians as a result of the removal of petrol subsidy and continuous demonstration of unwillingness and complete lack of initiative.
The two labour centers had equally advised Nigerians to stockpile foodstuffs because the strike would shutdown economic activities in the country.
The President of NLC, Joe Ajaero and the TUC, Festus Osifo disclosed this after their separate Emergency National Executive Council, NEC , meeting in Abuja on Tuesday.
According to the communique read by the two Presidents, the indefinite strike was as a result of the alleged insensitivity of government to the plights of Nigerians as a result of the removal of petrol subsidy and continuous demonstration of unwillingness and complete lack of initiative.
The Federal Government had earlier asked the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and its Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, counterpart, to shelve their planned nationwide indefinite strike stressing that going ahead with the proposed industrial action will amount to a gross violation of a subsisting court injunction.
However, the government said issues bordering on fuel subsidy removal, which informed the decision of the NLC and the TUC to declare the strike, are pending before the National Industrial Court, NIC.
