NLC To Resume Suspended Kaduna Strike, Says El-Rufai Violating Workers’ Right

The Nigerian Labour Congress, has announced plans to resume the suspended industrial action in Kaduna State.

Recall that in the month of May, the leadership of the Congress had suspended its five-day strike action to protest the decision of the state government to lay-off thousands of civil servants in the state.

The suspension, according to the Congress was to honour the Federal Government’s effort in resolving the face-off between the Congress and the Kaduna State Government.

However, the Congress in a letter addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday said that State Government has impugn all the clauses in the agreement freely entered with the Congress, hence the reactivation of the strike action .

The letter read, “Your Excellency, Mr President, may recall that the first conciliatory meeting between the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Kaduna State Government took place on May 20, 2021.

“A major outcome of that meeting was a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU} signed by the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Kaduna State Government.

“Your Excellency, Mr President, the National Executive Council (NEC) of the NLC on May 25, resolved that in case the Kaduna State Government remain 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 all workers in Nigeria without any further notice.”

The letter, which was signed by the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, stated that the state government violated the provision of the MoU, one of which was that there should be no further victimisation and harassment of workers as well as trade union leaders in the state especially workers who participated in the warning strike.

He noted the continuous violation of workers’ rights as provided in the labour laws and transfer of the State Chairperson of the NLC.

Wabba said that the government violated the ‘no victimisation’ clause in the signed agreement by sacking workers for participating in the warning strike.

The letter said, “The Nigeria Labour Congress was also expected to maintain the suspension of the strike action while negotiations continued.

“To our greatest surprise, after signing the MoU with workers, the Kaduna State Government has gone ahead to impugn all the clauses in the agreement freely entered with the Nigeria Labour Congress.”