Nationwide strike to get worse as banks, hotels, construction firms, other unions join Wednesday
By Eberechi Obinagwam
Nigeria seems set to enter the cold winter of strike as the organised labour carried out its threat to embark on a nationwide industrial action on Tuesday, November 14.
But it may get worse as many affiliate unions, in solidarity, have directed their members to stay away from work with effect from Wednesday, November 15.
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) and the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) have asked their members to join the nationwide strike declared by the two labour centres – the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) to protest the assault on NLC President, Joe Ajaero.
Also, the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI), National Union of Banks Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE) and the Construction and Civil Engineering Senior Staff Association (CCESSA) have joined the strike.
ASSBIFI in a statement signed by its leaders, Joseph Agoha and Anthony O. Emeh, directed all members to stay away from work with effect from Wednesday, November 15, to prevent likely attacks by hoodlums and disgruntled persons.
Hotels and Personnel Services Senior Staff Association, under the leadership of Comrade Iyeh Williams Adegbe, also urged their members to join the strike unconditionally.
In the same vein, Chemical and non-Metallic Products, under Segun Samson David, directed its members to follow suit.
In the education sector, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU); National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT); Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU); Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP); Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics have asked their members to stay away from work.
READ ALSO: Maritime Workers Union join NLC, TUC nationwide strike
Labour unions in the maritime and health sectors also asked their members to comply with the directive reached at the joint National Executive Council of the two labour centres.
The health sector is not left out as the nurses union has asked their members to down tool.
Acting General Secretary, Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Salihu Abubakar, asked workers to join the nationwide strike.
Also, the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives asked its members to comply strictly with the NEC directive.
Judiciary workers Union has also asked its members to join the strike.
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) had on Monday directed workers nationwide to shut down their services effective 12:00 midnight of Tuesday, November 14, 2023.
The compliance by the affiliates is in accordance with the directives of the Joint National Executive Council (NEC) of NLC and TUC.
Angered by the assault on the NLC President, labour demanded for the redeployment of the Commissioner of Police in Imo state.
The Inspector General of Police has met the demand by redeploying the commissioner of police.
The aggrieved workers also demanded the redeployment and investigation of the Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command; the sacking of the Area Commander of the Nigeria Police Force and all other Officers and Men in Owerri through whom the Police Commissioner supervised the brutalisation and humiliation of Comrade Ajaero and other workers and Mr. Nwaneri Chinasa, Adviser on Special Duties who supervised the terror on workers and bestial brutality meted out to Congress President, Comrade Joe Ajaero be arrested immediately and prosecuted for his crimes against workers and the President.
Others are: an immediate, independent and unbiased thorough professional medical examination of Comrade Ajaero in light of the physical and psychological injuries inflicted on him; other workers and journalists subjected to inhuman treatment by the Police and the Hope Uzodimma’s goons be treated by the State and all the properties lost be restored immediately and the mplementation of all outstanding Industrial Relations issues as previously agreed with the Imo state Government.
None of these other demands has been complied with.