CSO Coalition to NLC: Shelf proposed strike action, safe Nigeria’s economy

A Coalition of Civil Society Organizations have called on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to halt the proposed strike action scheduled to start on August 14, 2023 in the interest of national economy, describing the “No Work No Pay” clause as a dispute of rights which cannot be settled by strike action or picketing.

The twelve different groups coalition in a statement jointly signed by its convener Comrade Balogun Hameed and the Secretary of Centre for Human and Socio-economic Right Comrade Alex Omotehinse poked the intent of the organized labour union-NLC to have chosen to go the route of strike action at a time when frantic efforts are being made by the federal government to salvage the hailing economy.

“There is a globally well-known, established, and cherished principle in industrial labour relations and practices that, a workers’ strike action is generally weapon of last resort. It is rarely deployed, only when every other means of constitutional, amicable, alternative disputes resolutions mechanism and, social dialogue, negotiation avenues have been exhausted can an industrial strike action be embarked upon.

“We urge Labour to be more retrospective and patriotic enough to shelf this planned strike action and embrace the processes of exhausting judicial remedies and dialogue.

“We are apt to point out that the demand of labour for the withdrawal of the “ No Work, No Pay’ clause is a “ Dispute of Rights” not, “ Dispute of Interest”.

Dispute of Rights are never settled by strike actions or picketing in industrial, labour relations practices.

“As much as we even concede that the matter in dispute can be settled out of court, we know that honest dialogue as partners always resolved the question of non-victimization of workers for engaging on a strike action. It is therefore, ludicrous to contemplate resolving this issue with another round of strike action !

“This is because peace, stability and consistency are vital requisition for the industrial wheel to keep rolling. A simple disruption in industrial processes usually have fatal consequences on production outputs.

“In advanced industrial nations of Europe like United Kingdom, Germany, France, even in the United States of America, U.S.A, Japan, Russia and China, a National General Strike Action has not been called for over three decades now.

“We strongly believe that organized labour in the country, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and Trade Union Congress, TUC must borrow a leaf from Labour in these advanced industrial nations.

According to the coalition, NLC’s nationwide general strike action notice will only worsen the present situation as there are many windows of negotiations ignored by the labour union that could have amicably resolve the issues with less friction.

“The leadership of one of the organized Labour centers, NLC has issued a notice to embark on a nationwide, general strike from August 14, 2023, should the Federal Ministry of Justice fail to withdraw the lawsuit filed against it on the implementation of “ No Work, No Pay” clause.

“This was coming few days after NLC/TUC reached truce with the Federal Government team in a meeting led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on August 2nd over general strike and mass protest over the Government’s removal of fuel subsidy policy.

” It is clear to roll out tanks of another general strike action once again is frivolous deployment of the last arsenal of labour particularly when windows of social dialogue are still glaringly wide open.”

“More importantly, our ailing national economy needs all productive hands-on deck to nurture it back to life as it does not have resilience to withstand loses of productive man-power hours under the guise of strike action. It would be an ill wind that would blow nobody, workers, employers, and Government no good.
The Coalition perceived this recent spoil for strike action as ill motivated and likely having political undertone targeted at rocking the boat of the current administration.

“Our Coalition of Civil Society Organizations can discern the antics of some political prankster’s ploy to create crisis in the polity playing on the emotions of unwary citizens.

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“We urged Nigerians to look beyond the pains of subsidy removal, noting it is a bold step that will favor the downtrodden masses in the long run once Government is able to block the leakages which a cabal is profiteering from. Things will turn for better season as soon as the Palliatives packages are rolled out in full throttle.

“We should be vigilant not to fall into the snares of agents provocateurs calling for mass uprisings or a military coup. We cannot afford to drag the nation the precipice of anarchy and chaos. With the spate of military regime take-over in the West Africa sub region and specifically recently in Niger Republic, caution must apply in calling citizens out for street protests to avert mis guided military hostilities that can abort our nascent democratic experience.

“Heating up of the polity can be hijacked by hoodlums leading to mass looting, wanton destruction and Inevitable loss of lives and properties. This ill-conceived action will only further aggravate the sufferings of our people cause more harm to the harsh economic realities in the country.

“In the last address of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the nation, he assured Nigerians of his commitment and sincerity to speedily implement palliatives initiatives to lessen hardships in the polity and revamp decaying small and medium scale businesses.

“The Government is also conducting a forensic audit of its employees and pledge to commensurately review workers take home pay to meet up with their contemporary challenges. This, instead of another counterproductive strike action should be the focus of organized Labour. NLC and TUC.”