As labour unions in Nigeria embarked on a strike to demand a new minimum wage, they have been warned to conduct the strike in accordance with democratic practices and not infringe on the rights of other Nigerians who are going about their lawful duties.
The advice was given on Monday by the Centre Against Injustice and Domestic Violence (CAIDOV) in a statement issued in Lagos, signed by its Executive Director, Comrade Gbenga Soloki.
The statement emphasized that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) can mobilize workers, but this must be done within the law to ensure that no one’s rights are infringed upon.
The group acknowledged that unions have the inalienable right to strike to demand higher pay and better working conditions.
However, they stressed that these actions should be in line with democratic practices, with extensive dialogue exhausted and members, as well as Nigerians, extensively educated on the need for the strike.
According to Comrade Soloki, “Let me, on behalf of the Board, commend the labor movement for the strike action that took place today. It is definitely 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 labor movement is condemnable. If this is truly about an increase in workers’ salaries, it seems like 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 to prevent any damage,” Soloki continued.
“We are calling on the federal government to urgently handle this minimum wage imbroglio with caution so that the gains recorded are not eroded by this strike action. Anyone fomenting trouble in the name of a strike should be arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law, as no one is above the law,” he concluded.
