Suspended Strike: NLC Says Court Ruling ‘Flawed’, Against Workers’ Interests…

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has criticised the judgement of the National Industrial Court, restraining organised labour from embarking on any form of strike over fuel subsidy.

The NLC and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) had planned to commence industrial action on Wednesday (today) following President Bola Tinubu’s declaration on May 29 that “fuel subsidy is gone“.

The President’s remarks made during his inaugural speech resulted in a near-instant hike in Premium Motor Spirit (or petrol) prices from N184/litre to as much as N500.

The strike was however suspended on the backdrop of the judgement with plans to reconvene on June 19.

The congress, in a communiqué on Tuesday, expressed “disgust” over the ruling, following an emergency meeting by its National Executive Council (NEC) on Tuesday.

It registered “in strongest terms its disgust and disapproval with the ruling of the National Industrial Court (NIC) for its continuous weaponization of the instrument of Exparte injunction in favour of Government against the interests of Nigerian workers in defiance of the position of the Supreme Court on the use of this instrument.”

Also among its resolutions were to “support and accept the decision of the leadership of congress to suspend the proposed strike action in compliance with the flawed rulings of the NIC”.

It argued that putting off the strike would allow negotiations to flow freely and enable final agreement during or after the June 19 negotiation with the Federal Government.