NLC STRIKE: Day 1 records partial/forced compliance

The 7-day warning strike called by Labour unions in the country, Thursday recorded partial success in parts of the country.

The partial success was however due largely to forced compliance by Labour union leaders who were out in the morning to compel obedience with the strike action called to force government to accede to their agitation for increase in the national minimum wage.r

Ripples Nigeria reports that there was widespread apathy from workers to the strike action, as many of them reported for work but were chased away by union leaders.

Civil servants at the Federal Secretariat, Abuja were chased away from their duty post by Labour leaders who were out to enforce the strike action.

Also courts, especially the headquarters of the Federal High Court was under lock and key yesterday, in compliance with the strike. However, private business outfits were fully open throughout the day.

The story is similar in Lagos State, as civil servants working at the Lagos state Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja could not gain access into their offices as the in and out gates to the secretariat were shut and blocked by officials of Labour Unions.

According to reports, the Labour unions were said to have arrived the premises as early as 5a.m. on Thursday morning, blocking the entrances of the secretariat and stopping workers who came for the day’s work from gaining entrance.

Branded vehicles belonging to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and their affiliate unions were parked in front of both gates.

The Lagos State Chairman of the NLC, Idowu Adelakun, who spoke to reporters at the gate of the Alausa secretariat, said everybody is prepared for the strike because it is long overdue.

He however explained that their presence at the gates of the Lagos State Secretariat was to protect government property.

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“When we call strike like this and we are not here some people may decide to go inside and start spoiling government property and as leaders we are responsible enough’.

The union leaders also went a step further by chasing banks workers around Ikeja out of their offices to ensure they comply with the strike order, while the Nigeria Bottling Company factory on Lateef Jakande Road, Ikeja was also put under lock and key.

Aside Ikeja banks whose staff were forced out, banks in other parts of the city were opened to customers.

In Ekiti State, the strike action was more successful with a higher level of compliance.

Government offices were locked in Ekiti State as workers complied with the Labour directives to stay away from work.

The officials of the state councils of the NLC and TUC moved round to ensure compliance with the strike, as the Governor’s Office, House of Assembly, High Court complex, the State Secretariat housing Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) remained desolate.

Some banks that opened earlier in the morning closed at about 1.00 pm when Labour leaders started moving around to ensure compliance.

However, private businesses such as shops, hotels, petrol stations and eateries opened for business.

The state TUC chairman, Mr. Odunayo Adesoye, said he was satisfied with the level of compliance in the state, adding that he expects workers in the informal sector to join the strike in subsequent days.

Adesoye said: “We expect that the banks, commercial drivers, Okada operators and sole business owners will participate in this strike. We have reached out to the Civil Society Organisations to ensure they mobilize for the strike

“We are not going to shy away from picketing areas that fail to conform with our directive as given from Abuja

“This is a fight that has to do with our collective destiny. We must ensure that our commonwealth should be evenly distributed. It shouldn’t be concentrated in the hands of a few Nigerian leaders to begin to feed fat on the nation”

In Edo State, the effect of the strike was more felt by air travellers who were stranded at the gate of the Benin airport.

Only one flight was allowed to land at the airport as labour leaders, led by the state chairman of NLC, Comrade Emmanuel Ademokun took over the gates of the airport, preventing air travellers from gaining access.

Also, banks and government offices were grounded in the state capital.

The Labour leaders also went to Palm House, the office complex housing most government ministries in the state to ensure compliance.

For banks, they remained closed but high profile customers and some depositors were allowed in through the back door after thorough security checks.

However, there maybe an early resolution of the strike action, as the Federal Government Thursday begged workers to return to work.

The appeal came as the Federal Government summoned leadership of the organised labour to the Presidential Villa, Abuja to know what led to the ongoing warning strike that paralysed socio-economic activities in different parts of the country.

The Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari said that the meeting was called to know exactly what stalled the ongoing negotiation on minimum wage and not specifically for the amount the government was proposing.

Speaking after the meeting, the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, said that they had a fruitful deliberation with the Chief of Staff and that the discussion will be taken to the necessary organs of labour.

Wabba said: “The Chief of Staff tried to give us detail of government position which we will have to go and convey to our members and then we can revert back to him”.

Speaking on when the strike will be called off, Wabba said: “The strike as you are aware is called by a larger organ until we get their mandate before we can make any pronouncement on the strike.

“All the discussion we have had, we will communicate to our members and therefore it is the outcome of our meeting with our members that we will also communicate to government.”

 

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