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Tag: Nationwide Strike

NLC Begins Mobilization For Nationwide Strike
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has given the Federal Government a seven-day ultimatum to reverse all perceived anti-poor policies including the recent hike in the pump price of petrol or face an indefinite nationwide strike from August 2.
Reports have it that the NLC has directed all affiliates and state councils to immediately begin mobilisation of workers and other Nigerians, including civil society allies, for a long-lasting strike and mass protests should the government fail to meet its demands.
The decision was reportedly reached at NLC’s Central Working Committee, CWC, meeting held Tuesday, July 25, at Abuja Labour House.
July 26, 2023
Electricity Workers Suspends Nationwide Strike, Restore Power
The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has suspended its strike.
This followed a meeting with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige on Wednesday.
“The Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, has apprehended the strike embarked upon by the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) following an emergency meeting between the union, government, and other stakeholders, at the instance of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige,” read a statement from the Head, Press and Public Relations of the ministry.
“Dr Ngige set up a tripartite committee to look into the grievances of electricity workers towards addressing them.”
The statement added that the union’s secretary general, Joe Ajaero, has “assured the minister that all necessary steps would be taken to restore the supply of electricity to the country immediately”.
August 18, 2022
ASUU Strike: NLC Threatens 3-Days Nationwide Strike if Demands are not Met
The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba, has said that the workers’ union will embark on a three-day nationwide strike if the Federal Government fails to accede to the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities after the ongoing two-day warning protest organised by the NLC.
Wabba, who spoke in an interview with Channels TV ‘Sunrise Daily’, also stated that the workers’ union embarked on a two-day protest against the ongoing ASUU strike not just as a show of solidarity, but because the strike directly affected the NLC.
He said, “The two-day warning strike is to call for attention for the issues to be resolved promptly. The next level is a three-day national warning strike if nothing has happened after the protest, to show our grievances.
“We are not on a solidarity action, we are affected directly.”
The NLC had organised the two-day protest after a series of failed negotiations between the FG and ASUU to resolve the strike action.
Wabba, who stated that the ongoing protest was a democratic norm which was constitutional and supported by the international charters, added that it was not illegal to carry out such demonstration on the streets.
He said, “These are democratic norms everywhere in the world. Even as an individual, you have the right to air your grievances.
“It is within the provision of our law. It is backed by the United Nations charter for human and peoples rights, African charter for human and peoples rights, and it is there in our constitution — sections 39 and 40.”
Since plans for the ongoing protest was announced by the NLC, the Minister for Information, Lai Mohammed, had alleged that the protest was illegal and would create anarchy in the country.
The Minister for Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, had also taunted the workers’ union, claiming erroneously that the protest was against international labour practices.
The Nigeria Police Force had also in its bid to defend the regime, demanded that the NLC should get a permit from the Force before embarking on the two-day warning-protest.
Responding to the claims by the authorities, Wabba said the court of law had pronounced that citizens did not need permission from the police or any authority to carry out protests.
He said, “Even the court has pronounced that you don’t require any permission. It is legal and within your fundamental human rights to protest issues.
“When people say it’s illegal, I think people should remember that no condition is permanent. We have had some of our current politicians join the NLC to press for similar actions in the past.”
July 26, 2022
Resident Doctors To Begin Nationwide Strike On Monday
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has directed its members across the country to embark on a total strike from Monday, August 2.
This directive was issued on Saturday at the end of the executive meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the union held in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.
Briefing reporters at the end of the meeting, NARD National President, Dr Okhuaihesuyi Uyilawa, disclosed that members have been asked to proceed on a nationwide indefinite industrial action.
“We are embarking on a total and indefinite strike on August 2, 2021. You can recall we had a memorandum of action on March 31, 2021, and had an addendum to it on April 9, and since then, we still have had irregularities in the payment of salaries to the house officers.
“We had issues with them being non-regular payment and as part of the memorandum of action, it was said that they should be captured back into the IPPS platform,” he said.
Uyilawa added, “You are aware that we lost 19 members to COVID-19 and death in service insurance was supposed to be paid to their next of kin.
“The last time we met the minister of labour and minister of health, we were told that our members are part of those to be given the insurance benefit, but we found out that their names are not even their.”
He cited the inability of the Federal Government to meet the demands of the doctors as part of the reasons for the decision to go on strike.
The NARD president, however, apologised to Nigerians for the decision which he insisted was a result of the government’s failure in its responsibilities.
The doctors had embarked on industrial action in April, leaving many patients unattended across various government-owned hospitals in the country.
They later suspended it 10 days later following a virtual meeting with members which lasted about 15 hours on April 10.
Some of the issues raised by the medical practitioners as of then included the immediate payment of all salaries owed to all house officers, including March salaries (regardless of quota system) before the end of business on March 31.
They also sought an upward review of the hazard allowance to 50 per cent of consolidated basic salaries of all health workers and payment of the outstanding COVID-19 inducement allowance, especially in state-owned-tertiary Institutions.
The doctors called for the abolishment of the exorbitant bench fees being paid by their members on outside postings in all training institutions across the country.
July 31, 2021
Nasarawa Residents Doctors joins Nation wide Strike
Abel Leonard/ Lafia
Resident Doctors at the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, (DASH) Lafia, Thursday joins the Nation- wide NARD strike as a way of showing solidarity to its members working at the various federal medical outfit in the country.
This was disclosed by the president Association of Resident Doctors DASH Dr. Moses Joshua who said despite meetings with the federal government delegation to resolve pending issues, the NARD commenced an indefinite strike, because they were not able to come to a compromise.
“We commence strike 8 a.m. today following the instruction from our national president, since it is a solidarity strike, we are still trying to evaluate and to see what the federal government will offer, then of cause it will be replicated here in the state”. the president of the association, said Thursday afternoon.
Dr. Joshua said the resolution was reached after NARD’s extraordinary National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on Saturday.
He said the ultimatum given to the federal government to meet the association’s earlier demands expires March 31, with no significant achievement.
He also added that Resident doctors, who are undergoing training to become consultants, make up a large percentage of doctors in Nigeria’s tertiary hospitals, hence should be treated fairly.
Recall that Daybreak newspapers report that Resident doctors are demanding, amongst other things, payment of all salaries arrears, review of the current hazard allowance to 50 per cent of consolidated basic salaries of all health workers, and payment of the outstanding COVID-19 allowance especially in state-owned tertiary Institutions.
“Immediate payment of all salary arrears including March salaries for our members in all Federal and State Tertiary Health Institutions across the country.
“Upward review of the current hazard allowance to 50 per cent of consolidated basic salaries of all health workers and payment of the outstanding COVID-19 inducement allowance especially in State owned-tertiary Institutions.
Recall that Daybreak Newspapers report that the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has commenced an “indefinite Strike ” Thursday for failure by the Nigerian government to meet its demands.
April 2, 2021