The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), has vowed
to shut down the Lagos airport and other facilities in the state, following
the organisation’s directive to commence a nationwide strike.
The NLC Vice
President, Amaechi Asugwuni, who was addressing journalists on Thursday, while
aggrieved workers embarked on a protest in the Alausa area of Lagos, said the
decision was in compliance with directives of the national leadership of the
union.
“From here,
we are going round Lagos to ensure that every institution is indeed shut down.
Today if the airport is opportune to open today, I am very sure that they will
not open tomorrow. Nobody flies in this country,” he said.
The comments
come less than 24 hours after the Federal Government held a meeting with the
national leadership of the NLC to reach a conclusion over the new minimum wage.
The meeting,
however, ended in a deadlock.
Consequently,
the NLC directed all its members and affiliate unions to commence the
industrial action.
NLC
President, Ayuba Wabba, had insisted that there was no going back on the
nationwide strike, as the Federal Government had failed to meet their demands.
The VP,
Asugwuni maintained that the workers in Lagos State would ensure full
compliance with the industrial action.
Furthermore, he accused the Federal Government
of being insensitive to their needs and denying workers an opportunity to an
enhanced wage across the federation.
He
said, “The indefinite adjournment of the minimum wage is a ploy to deny
Nigerian workers an opportunity to earn an enhanced wage. We will refuse it, we
will resist it and we will do everything within our power to ensure that indeed
struggle and liberation come by what we are doing.”
The workers
are demanding an upward review of the minimum wage from N18,000 to between
N50,000 and N65,000.
- Channelstv
No comments:
Post a Comment