By Fawaz Adebisi
The Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have urged workers in the country not to believe that the declared national strike by the unions has political undertones.
This was stated in a post on the NLC’s X handle on Tuesday.
Both unions earlier declared a nationwide strike, after the NLC President, Joe Ajaero was beaten and arrested on November 2, in Imo State by thugs allegedly sponsored by the Imo State government.
It was gathered that he was leading a protest against the violation of workers’ rights in the state.
Ajaero was later released by the Nigeria Police Force with a bruised and swollen face and was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, for immediate medical treatment.
The NLC and TUC therefore called for an indefinite nationwide strike over the alleged brutalisation of Joe Ajaero by the police.
The post on the NLC X handle stated, “There is nothing political in demanding, that workers owed over 31 months of salary should be paid.
“There is nothing political in demanding, that workers right be respected.
“There is nothing political in demanding, the recall of over ten thousand workers that were unjustly declared as ghost workers in imo state.”
The NLC is demanding an impactful set of palliatives that could truly alleviate the suffering of workers, meaningful wage, and swift resolution of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) crisis.
The NLC has also directed workers to demand the implementation of their demands from the state government, including appropriate payment of the minimum wage, pensions and gratuities to retirees, among other welfare packages.
