By Cross Udo, and Precious Nnamdi, Abuja
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have declared an indefinite strike starting from October 3, 2023, following what the Labour Unions tagged as the “failure” of the government to successfully implement policies to alleviate the sufferings of Nigerians coming from the removal of the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
The two labour centres advised Nigerians to stockpile foodstuffs because the strike would shut down economic activities in the country.
This was made known by the President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, and his TUC counterpart, Festus Osifo, after their separate emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meetings in Abuja yesterday.
According to the communique read by the two presidents, the indefinite strike was a result of the alleged insensitivity of the 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.
It will be recalled that the NLC President, Ajaero, during a virtual NEC meeting which was held on Zoom yesterday told members of NEC that a meeting was held with the officials of the TUC to deliberate on ways forward.
Ajaero noted that it was resolved that the two centres work together to make their stance known to the government.
Meanwhile, the 21-day ultimatum given by the NLC ended last week.
Ajaero had complained that “None of the demands put before the Federal Government had been addressed.”
Among other things, the NLC and the TUC are asking for wage awards, implementation of palliatives, tax exemptions and allowances to public sector workers, and a review of the minimum wage.
The communique signed by the NLC and TUC presidents during the NEC meeting observed that there is no disagreement between Labour and Government on the existence of massive suffering, impoverishment, and hunger in the country as a result of the hike in the price of Petrol which demands an urgent need for remedial action.
“The government has abdicated this responsibility and has shown gross unwillingness to act abandoning Nigerian people and workers to excruciating poverty and affliction,” he said.
However, the two labour centres resolved that, “In the spirit of the Independence Day celebration and to demonstrate our resolve for a truly independent Nigeria to take our destinies in our own hands and rescue our nation.
“To embark on an indefinite and total shutdown of the nation beginning on zero hours Tuesday, the 3rd day of October 2023, and to direct all workers in Nigeria to withdraw their services from their respective workplaces commencing from the 3rd of October.
“To direct all affiliates and state councils to immediately start mobilizing accordingly for action to organize street protests and rallies until Government responds positively to our demands, and to enjoin all patriotic Nigerians to join hands across the nation to assist this government put the people back at the centre of its policies and programmes.”
President Bola Tinubu had on June 19 set up the Presidential Steering Committee and various sub-committees to discuss the framework to be adopted on the palliatives.
Though the Federal Government committed to restructuring the framework for engagement with Organised Labour on palliatives, the eight-week timeframe set for the conclusion of the process expired in August with no action taken.
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*Subsidy removal has rubbished new wage review for academic staff, says ASUP
Meanwhile, the Academic Staff Union of the Polytechnics (ASUP) has said the recent removal of subsidy on petrol with its attendant increase of goods and services, has rubbished the approval of 35 percent and 25 per cent wage review for academic staff in Nigerian polytechnics.
ASUP also said that the review was carried out by the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2022 before the subsidy removal that has brought untold hardship to the masses.
The union in a statement issued by its President, Anderson Ezeibe, called on the Federal Government to without delay return to the renegotiation table so that all other contentious issues would be addressed.
The statement read, “Our Union has undertaken a review of the recent approval and release of a new wage structure for Nigeria’s Polytechnics as communicated through the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC).
“Following the review process by our Union’s team, it has become pertinent to put forward the Union’s position on this recent development for clarity.
“The new salary structure indeed reflects an increase of 35 per cent for Chief Lecturers; and 25 per cent for other layers of staff in the CONPCASS salary structure. This increase is a slight adjustment on the offer of 35 per cent and 23.5 per cent made by the government in the process of the renegotiation of the ASUP/FGN 2010 agreement in July 2022. The offer fell short of our Union’s demands during the renegotiation process.
“While the Union was considering the offer last year with a view to a response, the renegotiation process thereafter went into an unwelcome hiatus as the government team has not resumed the process of renegotiation since then.
“While it is instructive to underline our union’s acknowledgment of the approved adjustment in our salaries as positive, we call on the government to ensure immediate implementation and release of the arrears.
“It is equally important to note that the offer was made by the government before the latest and current economic downturn occasioned by the removal of subsidy on premium motor spirit in May 2023.
“It, therefore, goes without saying that the positives expected from this move by the government have already been severely undermined by the current marketplace realities and we expect the government to note this.
“Given the above, we are renewing our call for a conclusion of the ASUP/FGN 2010 agreement renegotiation which will usher in an improved and acceptable wage review reflective of the current economic realities through collective bargaining.”
On the issue of renegotiation, the union said, “A return to the renegotiation table will equally address other issues contained in the ASUP charter of demands including post-service conditions of our members, sustainable funding for the sector, appropriate certification for products of Nigeria’s polytechnics, legal and policy framework reviews, etc; as well as implementation mechanisms that will be all-encompassing and across institutions owned by Federal and State governments.
“Government is assured of our Union’s readiness to engage in any such sincere and productive collective bargaining process which will improve the technical and vocational education landscape in the country.”
*Down tools will disrupt socio-economic activities, private sector warns, urges FG to intervene
Also, the Organised Private Sector of Nigeria has called on the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Federal Government to reach an amicable settlement on how to alleviate workers’ suffering occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy and other recent government policies.
This, they say, is to avert the looming strike by NLC and its affiliates which is capable of disrupting socio-economic activities in the country.
The NLC and the TUC have resolved to ground activities nationwide from October 3, 2023, following what the Labour Unions tagged as the “failure” of the government to successfully implement policies to alleviate the sufferings of Nigerians following the removal of the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol since May 2023.
The OPSN in a statement released yesterday added that the economic indicators are not good.
The OPSN consists of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN); Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA); Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA); The Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME) and Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI).
The body said they have keenly watched the back-and-forth consultations between the governments on the one hand and the NLC and TUC on the other, and added, “It is evident that the series of consultations have not yielded positive results and the latter has resolved, in one way or the other, to go ahead with the strike.”
*Reps Speaker begs Organised Labour against down tools
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas on Tuesday appealed to the organised labour to suspend their impending nationwide strike, saying it will worsen the challenges faced by the country.
Abbas, who made the appeal in his address to welcome members back from a two-month annual recess, also expressed concerns over the hardships occasioned by economic instability in the country.
He said, “As the people’s representatives, we feel and equally share in the pains of our people at these very difficult times. However, I would like to appeal to the Nigerian Labour Congress to consider the various actions being taken by the federal government to alleviate the current hardship faced by Nigerians.
“As promised earlier, this House remains committed to getting a survival wage to all Nigerian workers. The 10th House had assured Nigerians that we would be interfacing between organised labour and the government to quickly work out a realistic new national minimum wage and other palliatives to enable citizens to cope with the economic impact of fuel subsidy removal, the downward fall of the naira to the dollar, skyrocketing cost of food and general high cost of living in the country.
“It is our considered opinion that embarking on a nationwide strike at this point will only aggravate an already bad situation. I, therefore, urge the leadership of labour unions to give us the benefit of the doubt and suspend any planned strike action while we engage the executive.”
He restated the commitment of the legislature to addressing the socio-economic challenges facing Nigerians, stressing that it is a priority for the 10th House.
“In the course of our recess, our country has continued to face numerous challenges and presented with even greater opportunities and prospects. It is now our collective responsibility to address these issues with wisdom, integrity, and a commitment to the betterment of our society.
“The people have placed their trust in us, and we must honour that trust by working diligently towards their welfare. Thus, as we resume our legislative duties today, we must prioritise the needs of our constituents. We must remain steadfast in our commitment to promoting good governance, ensuring social justice, and fostering economic growth.
“Our decisions should be guided by a deep understanding of the issues at hand and a genuine desire to improve the lives of those we represent,” he said.
While noting the “enormous challenges” confronting the nation at this time, the Speaker stated that they are “challenges that will engage our attention in the coming days and months.”
The Speaker said despite the numerous successes recorded by the country’s gallant security personnel, national security remains precarious.
He said, “While we mourn the loss of fellow citizens who had to pay the supreme price in the line of duty, we must condemn these attacks on the state and citizens in the strongest terms. However, our best response will be the deployment of our legislative powers and instruments to ensure the security of life and property across the country.”
He added that the country is challenged on several economic fronts: the cost of living crisis occasioned by the high cost of energy, the cost of food is skyrocketing daily, lack of liveable wages, the negative effects of the unpredictable and fluctuating foreign exchange rates, a disappearing middle class and a host of other issues.
“When people are hungry and despondent, what is needed is a leadership with a clear vision, a leadership that daily, demonstrates its commitment and capacity to tackle the challenges at hand; a leadership that should be innovative in proffering short and long-term solutions. That is what Nigerians need at this time and as Representatives of the people, we must rise to the occasion.”
While the executive arm of the government is engaging the citizens and trying to work out strategies to tackle the hardship in the country, the Speaker said legislative actions must therefore be dictated by a clear robust vision aimed at supporting the Executive in restoring the citizens on the path of prosperity.
“We must deploy the necessary legislative instruments to create jobs, ensure payment of living wages in the civil service, pull Nigerians out of poverty, address the prevailing infrastructure deficit, rid the country of crippling insurgency; ensure the security of lives and property and affordable functional education so that no child is left behind,” he said.
He also noted that it was on account of these economic challenges that organised labour, under the aegis of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), “seems to have lost patience with the painstaking effort of the government to plan and provide sustainable minimum wage and palliatives to citizens.”
Abbas also said in the coming days, the executive would present the 2023 Supplementary Appropriation Bill as well as the 2024 Appropriation Bill to the House noting that the time to consider the money bills would be short, “But we must roll up our sleeves and get to work immediately and ensure the speedy consideration of the bills that will encapsulate the yearnings of the people.”
The speaker stated that the 10th House would maintain the tradition established by the 9th House in terms of speedy consideration of the appropriation bills, which returned the country to a January-December budget cycle.
