…You Risk 6 Months Jail, FG Threatens
The organized labour on Sunday vows to embark on the planned nationwide indefinite workers’ strike on Monday (Today), as the meeting with the leadership of National Assembly (NASS) yielded no positive outcomes.
The organized labour, Africa Health Report (AHR) reliably gathered has mobilized workers from various unions for “total lockdown” Monday. A source said, “We ve mobilized”.
The meeting was aimed at convincing the organised labour to embrace dialogue and shelve their planned strike action scheduled for Monday. “We don’t have the powers to call off the strike action. For now, the strike action will commence, while we discuss with our organs,” said President of TUC, Festus Osifo, who addressed press men after the four-hour closed- door meeting.
He added, “The Senate President appealed to us to call off the strike. But we can’t sit here and call off the strike because we have other organs. We will take the appeals to our various organs”.
The meeting which was attended by top echelon of the National Assembly and the national executives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), led by Joe Ajaero and Trade Union Congress (TUC), led By Festus Osifo, ended in deadlock on Sunday.
Present at the meeting were the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume; Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; Minister of Finance, Dr Wale Edun;Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu.
Others were Minister of State for Labour and Productivity, Nkiruka Onyejiocha; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi and Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan.
But the Federal Government has warned workers planning to embark the indefinite strike declared by labour unions that they risk six months jail term.
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), gave the warning in a statement on Sunday.
Fagbemi said Section 18 of the Trade Disputes Act requires a worker employed in any essential services to give their employer 15 days notice before ceasing their services and any who did not comply would be liable on conviction to a fine or imprisonment for six months.
He said the fundamental importance of the 15-day notice is underscored by the fact that Sections 41 and 42(1)(b) of the Act criminalize non-compliance with the provision.
He noted that the federal government had been engaging stakeholders in the tripartite committee to determine a new national minimum wage and had not declared an end to negotiation.
The AGF further noted that the proposed strike is a breach of an order of the National Industrial Court and ongoing mediators’ settlement efforts over issues connected with the subject matter of the order.
“You are further invited to recall the pendency of the interim injunctive order granted on 5th June 2023 in suit no: NICN/ABJ/158/2023 — FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA & ANOR VV. NIGERIAN LABOUR CONGRESS & ANOR, which order restrained both Nigeria Labour Congress und Trade Union Congress from embarking on any industrial action or strike of any nature,” he said.
“While the government assures that it would continue to adopt a conciliatory approach to resolving matters pertaining to workers and citizens welfare in the spirit of collective bargaining, I would like to urge you to kindly reconsider the declaration of strike action and return to the ongoing negotiation meetings, which has been adjourned to a date to be communicated to parties.
“This would be a more civil and patriotic approach and will enable your Congress pursue its cause within the ambit of the law and avoid foisting avoidable hardships on the generality of Nigerians. which this proposed industrial action is bound to cause.”
