Strike suspended
Labour suspends strike after meeting upon meetings. •According to the LCCI, the strike over the Ajaero assault is an abuse of authority, and the maritime sector has lost N20 billion.
•Labour threatens to go on strike again, insists on its demands, and says the suspension is only temporary.
The national executive councils of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress on Wednesday night suspended their nationwide strike over an alleged assault on the President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero.
The unions said the suspension followed the intervention of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
However, the organised Private Sector and the maritime operators carpeted the NLC and TUC over the industrial action, stating that it was ill-timed and misconceived.
The OPS comprising critical players in the economy noted that the strike would affect the Federal Government’s ability to meet its yearly revenue target.
Our correspondent gathered that the organised Labour meeting which commenced a few minutes past 7pm lasted for close to one hour during which various affiliates and state chapters reviewed the outcome of the meeting held between the leaders of the organized Labour and the NSA.
Tommy Etim, National Deputy President of the TUC, indicated that the walkout was called off because the unions had faith in Ribadu.
“The NECs of the NLC and the TUC have suspended the strike,” he said. We did this because we trusted Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser, who gave us his word. We also observed that he was not playing politics with our demands, and he was ready to follow through on everything.”
Asked whether the suspension of the strike was indefinite, Etim said, “It is a temporary suspension. We are going to give them some time after which we will meet and if they fail to meet up, the strike resumes.
“We talked to the NSA, and he talked back.” He stated that Ajaero did nothing wrong by traveling to Imo State. We must applaud the NSA, and it is because of him that the strike has been suspended.”
Earlier on Wednesday, labor leaders met with the NSA, who reported the arrest of two suspects in the November 1 incident in Owerri, Imo State.
The NSA revealed this during a meeting with labour leaders in Abuja on Wednesday- the second day of the strike.
He also apologised to the organised labour over the attack on the NLC president.
According to the PUNCH, Ajaero, who stormed Owerri to organize a demonstration against unpaid payments to government employees in Imo State, was battered by hoodlums and allegedly detained for hours by the state police.
As a result, the labor movement issued an ultimatum to the Federal Government to arrest the culprits, among other requests, in order to avoid a walkout.
To prevent the labour action, the Federal Government secured a restraining order against the unions at the National Industrial Court but the labour leadership mobilised the workers for the strike which commenced on Tuesday.