After the savage attack on Nigeria Labour Congress President Comrade Joe Ajaero on November 1 in Owerri, the organised labour movement announced on Monday that a nationwide strike would begin at midnight.
Jerrymusa.com reports that Workers were told by the NLC and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, to stay home beginning on Tuesday.This follows a recent verdict by the National Industrial Court that prevented the Labour Party from going on strike.You may recall that the NLC was in Owerri on November 1 to protest what they claim is the inhuman treatment of their members by the government of Imo State.
Ajaero was preparing to give a speech to NLC employees in Owerri when he was attacked by hired goons under police protection.
Ajaero told reporters that the police had turned him over to criminals and that he had been “beaten like a common criminal.
“After the incident, the unions called for the State Commissioner of Police to be moved to a different position.TUC President Comrade Festus Osifo told reporters following yesterday’s joint NEC meeting that all TUC and AFL-CIO affiliates have been mobilised to make sure the strike is successful.
The walkout would continue, Osifo stated, until “governments at all levels wake up to their responsibility.
“We demanded that the Area Commander who oversaw the police brutality be removed from his position and brought to justice,” he said.
We also requested that Chinasa Nwaneri, the Special Assistant to Governor Hope Uzodinma for Special Duties and the man widely believed to be the touts’ ringleader, be apprehended and brought to justice.
The details of our requests are out there for everybody to see.”We provided an ultimatum that initially expired on Wednesday last week.
However, on the eve of that deadline, the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria met together for a combined session.
We evaluated the period we provided and decided, as accountable pan-Nigerian organisations, to provide an extra week to test the government’s responsiveness.
To further get the government’s attention, we held a picketing session on Thursday of last week. However, rather than the government coming out strongly to condemn this criminality, rather than the government speaking out and standing on the side of justice, some people in government were rather running their mouths and making all kinds of statements.
Accordingly, “the two labour centres have determined to stand firmly by the decision of the joint National Executive Council meeting that was held last week Tuesday, that effective at midnight on the 14th of November, we shall proclaim a nationwide strike. That’s why a nationwide strike will start at midnight tonight.
“All affiliates of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria and the Nigeria Labour Congress and all state councils of the two labour centres have been mobilised appropriately.
And this will continue indefinitely until national, state, and local governments accept accountability.
The NEC of the NLC and TUC have made this determination, and we must see it through to the end.Workers are demanding that Mr.
Nwaneri Chinasa, Adviser on Special Duties, who supervised the terror on workers and bestial brutality meted out to the Congress Presidency, be redeployed and investigated.
Workers are also demanding that the Area Commander of the Nigeria Police Force and all other officers and men in Owerri, through whom the Police Commissioner supervised the brutalization and humiliation of Comrade Ajaero, be fired.
In addition, we demand that Comrade Ajaero receive a prompt, thorough, and objective professional medical examination for the physical and psychological injuries he has sustained; that all other workers and journalists who were assaulted by the police and Hope Uzodimma’s goons be treated by the state; that all property that was damaged or destroyed be restored immediately; and that all outstanding industrial relations issues be implemented as agreed with the Imo state governor.