Nationwide Strike: FG Invites Organised Labour For Crucial Meeting

The Federal Government has invited Organised Labour for a meeting to address and find a lasting solution to the ongoing nationwide strike.

Naija News reports that organised labour consists of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

According to Vanguard, the meeting, which was summoned by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, would take place this afternoon at the NSA office in Abuja.

Recall that the NLC and TUC, on Tuesday, declared an indefinite nationwide strike to protest the assault on the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, and other labour leaders in Owerri, the Imo State capital, on November 1.

Other grievances of Organized Labour include outstanding salary arrears, unjust declaration of 11,000 workers as ghost employees, unsettled gratuities, non-compliance with the N30,000 minimum wage act, and declaration of 10,000 pensioners as ghost retirees.

In a move to stop the nationwide strike, the Federal Government went to court and got an order restraining the NLC and TUC from embarking on the industrial action, but the unions commenced the strike.

NSA Arrests Ajaero’s ‘Attackers’, Begs NLC, TUC To End Strike

In a statement signed by the Head of Strategic Communications in the Office of the National Security Adviser, Zakari U Mijinyawa, on Wednesday, Ribadu apologised to the organised labour over the attack and urged the movement to rescind its decisions on the ongoing strike.

Ribadu said the federal government regrets the incident in Imo and condemns it, noting that it was against the rule of law and the principles of freedom of association and expression subscribed to by President Bola Tinubu and his administration.

He noted that the strike calls for concern over its implication on the livelihood of Nigerians and its potential impact on economic security and other strategic national interests.