- NUPENG mobilises for total shutdown of petroleum sector
- Respect court order, AGF tells Organised Labour
- Avert strike action to save economy – OPSN, NEC, APC group beg FG, unions
- No going back, NLC insists
Ahead of the nationwide strike by the organised labour from October 3, 2023, there were mixed feelings and uncertainty across Nigeria on Thursday.
As mobilization for the nationwide strike heightens, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers has directed its members to ensure full compliance.
The strike action was announced by the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria.
Specifically, NUPENG said the Petroleum Tanker Drivers, PTD; Petrol Stations Workers; Liquefied Petroleum Gas Retailers and all other allied workers in the value chain of petroleum products distribution must comply with the strike from midnight of Tuesday, October 3.
Respect court order, AGF tells organised labour
However, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has asked the organised labour to respect the June 5 order issued by the National Industrial Court, restraining both Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress from embarking on any industrial action over fuel subsidy removal and related issues.
In a letter to the NLC and TUC, and Femi Falana, Fagbemi said that the plan by both labour bodies to embark on indefinite strike from October 3 was a violation of the subsisting order and a different disregard to the dignity and integrity of the court.
The AGF urged Falana to prevail on his clients to respect the order of the court and allow room for ongoing negotiations between parties on how to address the challenges associated with the fuel subsidy removal.
He noted that from the communiqué issued by the NLC after its National Executive Council meeting on August 31 and the September 26 joint communiqué by the Presidents of the NLC and TUC, it was obvious that the proposed strike action is premised principally in furtherance of issues connected with the removal of fuel subsidy, hike in fuel price and consequential matters of making provisions for palliatives and workers welfare.
He reminded them that a court order, regardless of the opinion of any party on it, remains binding and enforceable until set aside.
The AGF added that it is the earnest expectation of his office that Falana will advise the labour unions on the need to protect the integrity of courts and observe the sanctity of court orders.
“The foregoing will afford parties more room for further mutual engagements, for a holistic and sustainable resolution of all outstanding issues on this matter in the overall national interest,” he said.
Copies of the letter have also been sent to the Minister of Labour and Employment, the Chief of Staff to the President, the National Security Adviser, the Inspector General of Police, and the Director General of State Security Services.
NEC urges labour unions to shelve strike
Also, the National Economic Council on Thursday urged organised labour to reconsider its decision to embark on a nationwide strike on October 3, 2023.
Addressing State House Correspondents after its 136th meeting, the Plateau State Governor, Caleb Muftwang said, “Council looked at the implications of the strike for the economy and the nation and thus urge members to continue to engage with the leadership of their respective states and to appeal to them to shelve the action and continue on the path of dialogue with the federal government.”
Vice President Kashim Shettima presided over the NEC meeting in Aso Rock, Abuja.
The meeting was the third edition under the Bola Tinubu administration.
It was attended by governors and deputy governors.
The governors of Plateau, Osun, Lagos, Kaduna, Adamawa, Rivers, Benue, Sokoto, Delta, Ebonyi, Taraba, Nasarawa, respectively, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, among others attended the meeting.
Avert strike to save economy from crumbling – OPSN, APC group beg FG, unions
The Organised Private Sector of Nigeria has equally called on the Federal Government and labour unions in Nigeria to work out modalities to avert the proposed indefinite strike so as to save the nation’s economy from collapse.
Warning of the serious danger of proposed strike action on the Nigerian economy at this time, the association said, “The economic indicators are not good and simply put, the economy cannot afford a nationwide strike at this time.
Reacting to the declaration by the NLC and the TUC to embark on an indefinite strike next week, the association said the government and labour needed to understand that the economy is being de-marketed and the livelihood of the average Nigerian is being diminished by these incessant bickering. “One is beginning to wonder if the wellbeing of more than 200 million Nigerians is being factored into their negotiations,” the OPSN said.
The OPSN is made up of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria; Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture; Nigeria Employers Consultative Association; The Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises and Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists.
The association in a statement signed on behalf of the five-member organisation by the Director General of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, described the proposed strike action as a looming disruption of socioeconomic activities in the country.
“We have keenly watched the back and forth consultations between the government on the one hand and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) on the other. 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 protest/strike. We are worried that adequate consideration is not given to the dire situation of the economy and the devastating/disruptive impact that a nationwide strike will have on the country at this time,” the association stated.
The body said both the government and labour needed to understand that the economy is being de-marketed and the livelihood of the average Nigerian is being diminished by these incessant bickering.
“One is beginning to wonder if the wellbeing of more than 200 million Nigerians is being factored into their negotiations.
“While recognizing the right of the Labour Union to pursue the welfare of its members, we continue to implore the government to employ its best endeavours to re-engage the leadership of the unions and find an amicable ground to avert the imminent disruption in business activities that will attend the protest and nationwide strike.
“We opine that adequate consideration should be given to the grim state of the economy and the possible unintended consequences of social unrest that may result from the protests. In the same vein, while appreciating the deep concern of our members about the imminent strike, we urge the management to be circumspect in their business operations, as we continue to intervene in last minute attempts to avert the strike.
“Adequate measures should be taken to protect company assets and contingency plans be made to keep business afloat. Meanwhile, it is important to begin to have a conversation around how the labour unions and the government can resolve their issues without jeopardizing the livelihood of the average Nigerian and truncating our business projection and activities,” the OPSN noted.
The group called for some innovations around the conversation between the government and labour so as not to always end up holding the economy hostage.
“Government should demonstrate good faith in keeping to its promises during the negotiations with labour and abstain from making promises they cannot or do not intend to keep. On the other hand, labour should do a realistic assessment of its demands, within the context of prevailing economic realities and possibilities, while going the extra mile to indicate how its demands could be met.
“We look forward to a time that labour will extend the scope of its demands to include recommendations on how government could meet those demands, with implementation strategies and realistic timelines. There appears to be a general consensus by government and labour, and the generality of Nigerians on the need to assuage the hardship occasioned by recent government economic measures. It behooves the government to advance the frontiers of this consensus to chart an agreeable roadmap and enable concrete programmes that will bring relief to the workers and Nigerians,” the body advised.
In the same vein, a support group of the APC on Thursday appealed to the NLC and TUC to reconsider their stance on the planned nationwide strike in the interest of the country.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday, the National Coordinator of National Progressive Hub, Bukie Okangbe, pleaded with the union leaders to give the Federal Government the benefit of doubt in restructuring the economic framework of the country.
She said, “As a support group of the APC, we are pleading with our labour leaders to reconsider their stand on the planned indefinite strike so as to continue their engagement with the government. It has been proven overtime that instead of positive results, strike action in Nigeria has always yielded negative impacts on not only the economy but also on the welfare of the citizens. We must consider the possible negative effects of the strike on sensitive sectors like health, security, education among others.
“We understand the labour leaders have already threatened to go on a nationwide indefinite strike over the fuel subsidy removal starting from the 3rd of October, 2023. We believe that they can shelve this planned strike action and allow for a continued engagement with the Federal Government on the issue. The National Progressive Hub is confident that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is highly committed to addressing the issues and concerns raised by labour leaders regarding the fuel subsidy removal. As a progressive and listening leader, he has already approved the sum of N5bn to each state as palliative to ease the burden of the subsidy removal.
“The president, upon removal of the fuel subsidy, immediately constituted a committee on the upward review of the minimum wage. It is expected that a new minimum wage would be announced soon by the Federal Government. Tinubu has also been engaging with international communities at every opportunity to make sure that they increase their foreign investment in Nigeria as a country with high economic prospects.
“Of course, some of these international engagements have started yielding results as some foreign investors have already indicated interest to invest billions of dollars in Nigeria’s economy in different sectors.”
No going back– NLC insists
Meanwhile, the NLC has declared that there is no going back on the planned indefinite strike starting on October 3, 2023.
This was as it said that it has no agreement whatsoever with the Federal Government to call off the planned strike.
A statement on Thursday by Head of Information and Public Affairs of the NLC, Benson Upah, faulted the statement credited to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment that the Federal Government has scheduled a meeting with the NLC and TUC in order for them not embark on the planned strike.
Upah noted that there were inconsistencies in the statement issued by the Director, Press and Public Relations in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Olajide Oshundun.
The NLC said, “Accordingly, we find it necessary to make clarifications. Firstly, neither do we have any date for a meeting with the government that may lead to the suspension of the proposed strike.
“While we do not intend to demean or minimise the office of the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, this matter is beyond the Ministry. This should have been obvious to them during our most recent meeting.”
The NLC however, commended the role played by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong in securing the release of the executives of the NURTW from unlawful, illegal police detention.
He further said; “We take exception to the ministry describing these executives as factional leaders. They were lawfully elected into office. We still find it necessary to advise the police and those elements behind their travails to desist from this despicable and shameful conduct.
“They are advised to retrace their steps. If democracy is to be of meaning to us, then we should resist the urge or temptation for impunity. Enough is enough,” the NLC warned.
