The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have resolved to commence a nationwide strike starting from October 3, 2023. The strike action comes in response to what the labor unions perceive as the government’s failure to successfully implement policies to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians following the removal of the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol.
The decision was reached during a virtual National Executive Council meeting of the NLC, where the NLC president, Joe Ajaero, announced that a meeting had been held with TUC officials to deliberate on the way forward. It was resolved that the two labor centers would collaborate to make their stance known to the government.
The NLC had earlier issued a 21-day ultimatum, which ended last week, expressing dissatisfaction with the government’s response to their demands, including wage awards, implementation of palliatives, tax exemptions and allowances for public sector workers, and a review of the minimum wage.
The labor unions had previously observed a two-day nationwide warning strike in early September to demonstrate their readiness for the indefinite strike planned for later in the month. Despite the government’s commitment to restructure the framework for engaging with organized labor on palliatives, the eight-week timeframe for concluding the process expired in August without significant progress, leaving the NLC and TUC leadership frustrated.
The upcoming nationwide strike is expected to impact various sectors of the Nigerian economy and could lead to disruptions in transportation, government services, and other essential activities.