The Nigerian Labour Congress has said that it would withdraw of services by Nigerian workers all over the country without any further notice if the proposal of Nigeria Governors Forum materialise.
Rejecting the proposal of Nigeria Governors Forum to increase the price of fuel,the National Executive Council of the labour union, reiterated that it still stands solidly by its decision taken at its meeting which took place on 17th February 2021 to reject further increases in the price of refined petroleum products particularly the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS);
The NEC also re-echoed its decision that the only sustainable way out of the crisis of fuel importation and associated dislocations in the downstream petroleum sub sector is for government to rehabilitate all four public refineries in Nigeria and build new ones,it said in a communique issued at the end of its virtual meeting made available to PREMIUM NEWS.
It resolved to write officially to the Federal Government of Nigeria conveying the plight of Nigerian workers, the concerns of Congress and the resolutions of the NEC on the matter of fresh proposals for an increase in the pump price of fuel especially as informed by the stance of the Nigeria Governors Forum.
On the review of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,the NEC implored the National Assembly to retain labour administration, national minimum wage, pension and industrial relations in the exclusive legislative list of the constitution.
It directed the full mobilization of workers at all the zonal public hearings to lend weight to the demands and aspirations of Nigerian workers in the ongoing review of the 1999 constitution.
The NEC considered as successful the recent industrial action and protest against the illegal mass sack of workers by the Kaduna State Government.
It commended the unprecedented solidarity by workers all over the country and noted the willingness of workers all over the country to continue to show solidarity with the workers of Kaduna State in the spirit of “Injury to one is injury to all”.
The NEC also noted with dismay the visitation of violence on harmless workers during the industrial protest in Kaduna State by agents of the state government.
It also viewed with great concern the continued torrents of threats and innuendoes cum other adversarial actions against labour leaders and workers by the Kaduna State Governor.
The NEC while commending the readiness and resoluteness of Congress leadership to continue to engage the Kaduna State Government on an amicable resolution of the industrial situation in a manner consistent with the law especially Section 20 of the Labour Act, observed that the disposition of the Kaduna State Governor remains cantankerous and anomalous to negotiation in good faith.
” The NEC resolved to continue to keep its doors open for dialogue and amicable resolution of the industrial crisis occasioned by the insensitive and illegal mass sack of workers by the Kaduna State Government; and
the NEC resolved that in case the Kaduna State Government remained adamant and recalcitrant or continues to pursue the path of war, threat and punitive actions against workers and their interests, that it had given the National Administrative Council (NAC) the power to re-activate the suspended industrial action in Kaduna State and also call for the withdrawal of services of all workers in Nigeria without any further notice,”the communique added
