Group Warns Labour Over National Grid Shutdown, Says Workers Rights Shouldn’t Infringe On The Rights Of Other Nigerians

Just as Labour unions in the country embarked on a strike action to press demand for a new minimum wage, the labour unions have been warned to embark on the strike action in tandem with democratic practices and should not under any guise infringe on the rights of other citizens of Nigeria ,who are going about their lawful duties across the country.

The advice was given on Monday by the Centre Against Injustice and Domestic Violence (CAIDOV) in a statement issued on Monday in Lagos and signed by its Executive Director, Comrade Gbenga Soloki, where it was stressed that the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress can mobilize workers out , but should be done within the ambit of the law, by ensuring that no one’s right is infringed upon.

The group stated that though the unions have the inalienable rights to strike action to press home for higher pay for it’s members and better conditions of service, everything should be done in tandem with democratic practices, whereby the extensive dialogue would have been exhausted and members and Nigerians extensively educated on the need for the strike action.

According to him “let me on behalf of the Board commend the labour movement for the strike action that took place today, definitely, it’s the right of the workers to demand better pay and better working conditions. However, our field officers who observed compliance with the strike action reported that at several establishments , essential workers were chased out by the NLC leadership, even at Medical facilities. The closure of the national grid by the labour movement stands condemnable, if truly it’s about increment in salary of workers, this to us is an attempt to grind the economic activities in the country and by extension to destabilize the country.

“We are using this medium to urge the security agencies to stand up and protect willing workers as well as provide adequate security cover for critical government infrastructure across the country, so that,there will be no damage “

Continuing, “We are calling on the federal government to as a matter of urgency handle this minimum wage imbroglio with caution, so that the little gain recorded will not be eroded by this strike action, while anybody formenting trouble in the name of strike action be arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law, since no one is above the law”.