Unmet Demands: Public Servants Mobilise For Total Strike

The Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) has warned the federal government that the three-day warning strike by public servants could escalate into a total strike within the coming weeks unless their demands were not met.

The warning came as the council declared that the just-concluded three-day industrial action had recorded about 65 per cent compliance across the federal and state public services.

According to the council, the warning strike, which ended yesterday, recorded full compliance in Akwa Ibom, Oyo, Osun, Kaduna, Sokoto and Gombe States, while partial compliance was reported in other states across the country.

It said the industrial action had generated widespread public discourse, adding that members of the public had largely described the decision to embark on the warning strike as popular.

Against this backdrop, the JNPSNC urged the federal government to use the current lull in industrial action to engage with its national leadership and negotiate public servants’ demands before the next phase of the struggle.

In an update provided to LEADERSHIP by the JNPSNC national secretary, Comrade Olowoyo Gbenga, the council warned that the next strike would be total and would attract stronger alliance and solidarity from stakeholders in the labour movement.

It disclosed that strategic meetings had commenced to sensitise public servants nationwide ahead of the next phase of the struggle, which it said could come within the next few weeks.

He said, “Consequent upon the outcome of the warning strike, it is advisable for the federal government to use the period of the lull in action to engage the national leadership of JNPSNC because the next action will be a total strike.”

The demands of public servants remained unambiguous: slash the astronomical fuel prices; the federal government should review salaries and allowances to public servants; and the federal government should set up a tripartite committee for the 2027 new National Minimum Wage.”

“The National leadership of JNPSNC wants to reiterate the commitment of millions of public servants in Nigeria to the above-listed three demands without doubt.

Appropriate strategic meetings have commenced in earnest to ensure that public servants across the country are sensitised towards the next struggle ahead within the next few weeks.

The federal government should take cognisance of the public consciousness that the three-strikes law has attracted and be proactive in preventing spontaneous public reactions. No retreat, no surrender.”

The JNPSNC said millions of public servants remained committed to the demands and urged the federal government to recognise the growing consciousness among workers following the warning strike.

It also advised the government to be proactive in addressing the issues in order to prevent spontaneous reactions from workers and the wider public.