The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) are part of the Organised Labour group. They have told workers in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, who are currently at odds with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to stand up for their rights with courage and dignity.
Today, the two labor centers made a united statement saying they would defend the workers, who they said were being treated badly by the Minister of FCT.
The statement says that the workers have already had enough trouble with the industrial court’s recent decision. They can’t just stand by and let the minister add threats, insults, and harassment to the list of things that are wrong.
The Organized Labor also said that the walkout will carry on until Wike stops acting like he’s better than everyone else and talks to the workers.
“We (NLC and TUC) feel it is important to issue a joint statement of support for the workers in the Federal Capital Territory who have been treated badly by the Minister of FCT, Mr. Wike, and who were rubber-stamped by an Abuja National Industrial Court in a one-sided ruling meant to break up the strike and make workers permanent slaves,” the statement said.
“We thought Mr. Wike would use the chance to talk to organized labor about how to settle the issues peacefully, but instead he bragged about making threats against workers.”
“The crimes against the FCT workers are quite bad. We can’t just stand by and watch as intimidation, humiliation, insults, and harassment are added to the list.
“People in their own country can’t be made into slaves. We believe in the rule of law and following it to the letter, no matter what the parties to this conflict are.
“We not only support the workers in their action, but we also tell them to keep their spirits up even when they are being threatened all the time. Mr. Wike was able to get an interlocutory injunction against the two individual union leaders, which is good news. It wasn’t against the striking trade unions. The strike goes on.
“Strike”
Last Wednesday, workers at the FCTA went on an indefinite strike because “the authorities failed to address long-standing labor and welfare demands.”
The strike has caused all key government offices in Abuja to stop working.
After then, Wike sued the Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC) over the strike.
The National Industrial Court in Abuja told the workers to stop their walkout yesterday.
Emmanuel Subilim, the presiding judge, said that even though the case was a trade dispute, the defendants did not have an absolute right to go on strike.
He said that any continuing strike must stop until the national industrial court decides the case.
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