We’re reconsidering our stance on planned strike, say labour unions

The Organised Labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), says it is reconsidering its decision to embark on a nationwide strike over the removal of petrol subsidy.

The strike is scheduled to begin with a mass protest on Wednesday, August 2, 2023.

After the rescheduled presidential steering committee on palliatives meeting held in Abuja on Tuesday, Festus Osifo, TUC president, said President Bola Tinubu’s announced measures were welcomed although they were not comprehensive enough.

Osifo said the labour unions would consult with its members to reach a consensus on the next course of action before the day ends.

“Then on the government part, you ask something about the protests, yes they also appealed that we should shelve the protest,” he said.

“Our response was that we are going to go back this evening and also have a conversation around that and you will hear from us at the end of that conversation.”

Titus Amba, national vice president of NLC, collaborated the position of the TUC president, saying they were returning to consult with labour leaders.

On his part, Femi Gbajabiamila, the chief of staff to the president, described the Organised Labour as a “listening” organisation that would not go ahead with its planned protests after listening to Tinubu’s national broadcast to the nation.

“Basically we laid out the plan and the intervention of the President as you all heard in his  broadcast yesterday. We made it clear that this was Mr President’s initial roll out interventions and then the conversations will be ongoing as we go along,” he said.

“We indeed appealed to Labour to call off their protests for tomorrow. We’ve found listening ears here and they all accepted that Mr. President’s broadcast was a welcome development and that they’ll go back home to talk to the other leaders. 

“So we’re hopeful that they will be do the right thing and not protest tomorrow.”