National Assembly To Step Into Labour Strike
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has declared that the National Assembly’s leadership will step in right away to engage in the labor unions’ industrial action.
After Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu pushed the National Assembly’s leadership to take immediate action on the issue in a motion of critical national importance, the resolution was reached.
Although the labor unions have since claimed they were not served with court notice, lawmakers were split during the debate over the strike’s justification. Some urged the government to file a contempt lawsuit against the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) for allegedly violating the court’s order.
Other lawmakers appealed that the House should be neutral in dealing with the matter.
Tuesday marked the beginning of a nationwide walkout by labor unions over what they claimed was an attack on NLC President Joe Ajaero in the Imo State capital of Owerri on November 1, 2023, as he was preparing to spearhead a demonstration against the administration of Governor Hope Uzodimma.
Earlier, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have debunked receiving a court order from the Federal Government or any of its parties not to proceed with the strike which commenced yesterday.
TUC President Festus Osifo who spoke on the strike which has entered the second day, blasted the government for “perpetually violating” court orders while expecting other institutions to obey the judiciary.
Osifo berated the government for constantly going to court to obtain restraining orders to prevent labour action, rather than interacting with the unions and resolving their complaints. In his view, the government’s acquisition of court orders does not constitute good Labour relations
