Strike: Shutting national grid was uncalled for — Labour Veterans

Labour Veterans and Trade Unionist’s Assembly, have picked holes in the suspended strike initiated by the Nigerian Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress, stating that the shutting down of the country’s national grid was uncalled for.

The Labour Veterans in a statement by its Interim Chairman, Comrade Isa Tijjani, explained that the act hampered businesses and was unwarranted.

Tijjani, who was the former vice president of the NLC, said: “Once again, we write to express our anger and grave dissatisfaction with the way the recent strike was conducted by the Nigerian Labour Congress.

“In particular, we are miffed by the apparent treasonable felony committed by the striking Labour leaders in bringing down the national grid, stopping citizens from going about their legitimate businesses, forceful eviction of law abiding citizens from their offices and employment of force and arm twisting tactics on people to abide by the strike. All these should be investigated and appropriate actions taken.

“Agitations for minimum wage is a legitimate right however, the means and method used in undertaking the strike is not only unfair but criminal and against rectified ILO conventions, which is aimed at protecting essential service sectors in any given economy from such disruption”.

Tijjani cautioned against using both Unions as a platform for partisan politics. He said, “Our earlier caution against using the congress as a platform for partisan politics has gone unheeded and the consequences are here for all to see.

“The penchant to opt for strike as the first option in settling labour disputes is inimical even to the interest of workers in whose name the strike was embarked upon in the first place.

“This demonstrates lack of seriousness and deep reflection on the side of congress leadership for always swinging into acting before they think. Such actions are inimical to well know norms and practices of the labor movement and should be stopped forthwith.

“Finally, we want to highlight Ajaero’s actions which is aimed at dragging the congress into muddy waters of ethnicity, political partisanship and self-aggrandizement which has been there for long. We had cause to highlight these issues since 2023 and will continue to do so”.