*Call for strike personal, not in national interest, says Presidency
The Federal Government has warned the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) against asking workers to proceed on nationwide strike, saying that the directive is tantamount to contempt of court as there is subsisting court order that stopped Labour unions from embarking on industrial action.
The Federal Government stated this through the Attorney-General of Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Chief Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
The development came just as the NLC and the TUC have directed workers to begin a nationwide strike on Tuesday (today).
Fagbemi, who gave the warning in a statement by his Special Assistant on Communication and Publicity, Kamarudeen Ogundele, also reminded the Labour Unions on the need to respect the subsisting court order by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria against strike.
The AGF added that the interim order was granted on November 10 by the President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Justice B. B. Kanyip, saying that it is wrong for the Labour unions to resort to self help.
The chief law officer for the country also urged workers to report for duties today, saying that adequate protection has been put in place for their safety.
Fagbemi said, “ The unions have been served the court order and, therefore, must surrender themselves to the authority of the court which is already seized with the facts of the case.
“Any action taken contrary to the order will be tantamount to contempt of court.
“We use this medium to urge the unions to respect the court order and adhere to the principle of the rule of law. There is no need to resort to self-help.
“We urge workers to report for duties and not to entertain any fear as their safety is guaranteed and will be protected within the ambit of law.”
Meanwhile, the Presidency has faulted the call for the nationwide strike by the NLC and TUC, saying that the call for the industrial action is personal and not in the national interest.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, stated this in a statement made available to TheIdeal News on Monday.
Onanuga said that the Federal Government was surprised by the decision of NLC and the TUC to call out workers to commence a strike from 12 midnight despite a restraining order issued last week by Justice Benedict Backwash Kanyip of the National Industrial Court.
According to Onanuga, the decision by the NLC and TUC other than being an ego tripping move is clearly unwarranted, saying that the development is an attempt to blackmail the government by the leadership of the NLC.
The presidential aide said, “We are still at a loss as to why the NLC and TUC decided to punish a whole country of over 200million people over a personal matter involving the NLC President, Mr. Joe Ajaero, whose error of judgment led to assault on him in Owerri while he was planning to incite the workers in Imo State into a needless strike.
“While the Federal Government does not condone any form of violence and assault on any citizen of Nigeria regardless of his or her social and economic status, it is on record that the Inspector General of Police has ordered investigation into what happened to Mr. Ajaero while the Commissioner of Police in Imo State under whose watch the incident happened has been transferred out of the state.
“Calling out workers on a national strike over a personal issue of a labour leader despite a clear court order against any industrial action amounts to an abuse of privilege. Power at any level should never be used to settle personal scores. Rather, it should be used to promote collective progress and advance national interest.
“Our national economy and social activities should not suffer because of the personal interest of any labour leader.
“This flagrant disobedience to court order and lack of respect for the judiciary should not be what the organised Labour would champion.
“The labour movement has always been a champion of rule of law and respect for the judiciary. It is a sad irony that the current labour leaders have shown disdain and utter disregard for court order.
“We reiterate that this strike action is illegal, immoral, unjustifiable and irresponsible. What the strike notice issued Monday night after official hours suggests is it’s designed for a sinister and hidden agenda to cause undue hardship and cause civil disturbance in our country. This is unacceptable. “
But the NLC and the TUC have directed workers nationwide to begin an indefinite strike from midnight on Tuesday
Labour’s decision to begin an indefinite strike came despite an injunction by the National Industrial Court which restrained the NLC and the TUC alongside their affiliates from embarking on any industrial action.
According to the Labour unions, the strike is to protest the battering of the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, and others in Owerri, Imo State, on November 1, as well as the pending labour issues in the state.
The Labour unions had, on November 7, resolved to declare a nationwide strike by Tuesday, November 14, if their demands were not met.
Besides the alleged brutalisation of the NLC President, other labour leaders, journalists, other grievances of Organized Labour include outstanding salary arrears, unjust declaration of 11,000 workers as ghost employees, unsettled gratuities, non-compliance of N30,000 minimum wage act, and declaration of 10,000 pensioners as ghost retirees.
Rising from their extraordinary National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Monday, the Labour unions directed workers to proceed on indefinite strike.
President of TUC, Festus Osifo, who spoke on behalf of the two labour unions, said the strike would remain until “government at all levels wake up to their responsibilities”.
He said, “We demanded that the Area Commander that led the Police to carry out the brutalisation should be relieved his duties and prosecuted.
“We asked also that Governor Hope Uzodinma’s Special Adviser, SA, on Special Duties, Chinasa Nwaneri, who everyone knew led the touts, should also be arrested and prosecuted.
“Our list of demands is in the public domain.
“We gave an ultimatum that initially expired Wednesday last week. But on the eve of that expiration, we had a joint session of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria.
“We looked at the time we gave and felt as responsible pan Nigeria organisations, that we should give additional one week to see if the government would be responsive.
“And to further draw the attention of government we had the picketing session last week Thursday but instead of government to come out strongly to condemn this criminality, instead of government to speak and stand on the side of justice, some people in government were rather running their mouths and making all kinds of statements.
“So the two labour centres have resolved to stand firmly by the decision of the joint National Executive Council meeting that was held last week Tuesday, that effective from 12 midnight on the 14th of November, we shall declare a nationwide strike.
“So effective midnight today, a nationwide strike is going to commence.
“All affiliates of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria and Nigeria Labour Congress, all State Councils of the two labour centres have been mobilised adequately. And this is going to be indefinite until government at all levels wake up to their responsibility.
“This is the decision of the joint NEC of NLC and TUC and we are to carry it out to the later.”
It is instructive to note that the National Industrial Court in Abuja had on Friday, restrained NLC and TUC from going ahead with their planned November 14 nationwide strike.
The President of the National Industrial Court, Justice Benedict Kanyip, gave the interim order, following an ex-parte application filed by the Federal Government through AGF Fagbemi.
The court also cited the provision of Sections 17 and 19 of its Act to give the interim order, saying that it was within its powers to intervene in the dispute between the labour unions and Federal Government.
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