By Oyeniyi Esan
The National Association of Nigerian Comrades (NANC) under the leadership of Comrade John Claude Peter, has observed with deep concerns the breakdown of talks between the Federal Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the directive to affiliates to prepare for a nationwide strike.
The Association has thrown its weight behind the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), urging the Federal Government to take urgent steps to prevent a nationwide strike and to address the economic hardship facing workers and unemployed graduates.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the group, led by Comrade Johnclaude Peter, said it had noted with deep concern the collapse of talks between the Federal Government and the NLC. The NLC has since directed its affiliates to prepare for a nationwide strike.
The Group warns of political and economic consequences of the strike stating that a breakdown of dialogue between government and organised labour could worsen conditions for Nigerians already struggling with serious high of cost of living, unnecessary inflation, unpaid entitlements, and mang other factors detrimental to growth and development.
The Press release said a shutdown of public services would hurt public and private sectors respectively and it urged both sides to return to the negotiating table.
“The plight of graduate youths, many of whom face prolonged unemployment, should be treated as part of the same national emergency as workers’ welfare”.
The association called on the Federal Government to honour existing agreements with labour measures as a bid to ease workers’ hardship across the country. The need to create massive job opportunities or support for graduate youths across the country.
Nigerian labour has repeatedly threatened or embarked on national strikes over wages, fuel prices and unmet agreements. Several of those standoffs ended in suspensions after last-minute talks.
NANC said it hoped a similar outcome was still possible, but only if government showed “serious concerns to the plight of the concerned citizens. We stand in full solidarity with the NLC, TUC and all Nigerian workers.
” The reality is that Nigerian workers, graduate youth and the unemployed are suffocating. Fuel at N1,400 per litre, food inflation, and stagnant wages have made survival almost impossible. The recently announced 90-day Cost-of-Living Action Plan is commendable, but it must be felt in the pockets of Nigerians, not just on paper”.
” We call on the Federal Government to return to the negotiation table with sincerity before Tuesday, 27th October and address the issues of minimum wage review, fuel price and workers’ welfare’.
We also call on the Government to remember the army of unemployed graduates who suffer the same hardship but have no union to fight for them. NANC will not abandon these sets of people as we remain the voice of the weak, oppressed and voiceless without political undertone. We appeal for calm, but we support the NLC in its fight for a living wages” .