Ahead of Proposed Indefinite Strike, NLC and TUC Shun Meeting With Government

A scheduled meeting between the federal government and organised labour to prevent the nationwide strike by workers proposed for next Tuesday failed to hold on Friday.

Chief of Staff to the President, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, and Minister of Labour and Employment, Hon Simon Lalong, were meant to meet with Labour leaders at the State House, Abuja, from about 3pm on Friday, but the meeting failed to hold because the Labour leaders including the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, and his TUC counterpart, refused to show up.

Lalong was sighted at the office of the Chief of Staff Gbajabiamila in preparation for the meeting, but as at about 5:30pm, the expected Labour leaders had not shown up while efforts to get reason for their absence were unsuccessful Friday night.

Sources close to the office of the Chief of Staff, however, informed the meeting had been rescheduled for sometime over the weekend, saying he could not ascertain the particular day.

“They have 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 which day”, the source said.

The organised Labour had given a notice on Tuesday September 26 that Nigerian workers would be starting an indefinite industrial action, nationwide, from Tuesday, October 3, 2023, in protest of the harsh economic conditions in the country, occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy.

The organised Labour has settled for an all out strike after accusing government of unseriousness, premising its reason for its strike action on the economic downturn.

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

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