NLC, TUC Threaten Fresh Strike In Imo

Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) have issued fresh threats to resume strike in Imo State.

This came two weeks after the organised labour had suspended industrial action to protest the interference of the state government in the state chapter election and “violence against workers” in the state.

NLC national president, Comrade Joe Ajaero, then explained that the decision to suspend the strike was to “have an enabling environment for citizens in the state to perform their civic duty on Saturday 18 March by way of voting for State House of Assembly candidates of their choice.”

But in a letter jointly signed by both unions general-secretaries, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja of the NLC and Nuhu Toro of the TUC in Abuja yesterday, the labour centres demanded from the state government a definite date for the final resolution of the industrial dispute in the state.

In the letter with reference number, NLC/NS/B.10/292, addressed to the governor of the state, Hope Uzodimma, the organised labour stated that they were yet to hear from the Imo State Government of a date to conclude bilateral discussion which had already considered all the issues of dispute and extracted commitments from the government pending the formal signing of a fresh collective bargaining agreement.

The letter reads in part, "Our expectation is that the Imo State government would reciprocate our

goodwill by scheduling and communicating a date for the conclusion of discussion towards the

resolution of the industrial dispute in Imo State.

“Arising from the decision of a Joint National Executive Council meeting of the Nigeria Labour Congress

and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, we demand that Your Excellency should communicate to the

leadership of the two national labour centres a definite date for the conclusion of the bilateral industrial

discussion and the signing of a collective bargaining agreement with the Imo State government.

"We also wish to convey the resolution of the NEC of the NLC and TUC that failure to expeditiously

schedule and communicate the date for the conclusion of the industrial discussion and signing of an

agreement would force organised labour in Nigeria to re-activate the suspended industrial action in Imo

State without any further notice."