Is The Strike Action By NLC Appropriate at This Time?

Nigeria Labour Congress

As the Nigeria Labour Congress nationwide strike continues to pick up momentum in major cities over the Federal government’s decision to peg fuel price at N145, many Nigerians are divided as to the necessity of the strike.

A section of the populace support the subsidy which has been long in the making. The general belief is that the subsidy paid over the years have only landed in the hands of ‘fantastically corrupt’ cabals and oil thieves.

On the other side of the divide are those who feel that by removing subsidy, the APC led government is reneging on its campaign promises to Nigerians.

Having weighed these two sides, we feel that labour has been reactive and not proactive these past years. In many of the states where the protests are been held, many of the workers there have been owed and still being owed salaries.

Expecting the same people to join in the strike is a bit of a long shot. The NLC’s seeming indifference to the plight of these workers who are yet to receive their salaries is perhaps one reason why the strike action has not received popular support.

With all sentiments aside, we all know selling fuel at N86.5 will take us back to era of scarcity, therefore Labour should focus their demand for upward review of the minimum wage to cushion whatever effect any increment will bring rather than dwell on this old fashioned method of making government yield to their demand and come up with lucrative ways of ameliorating the plight of the common Nigerian.

This strike will only reduce the influence and relevance of the NLC because for the first time in many years, the masses seem to think the NLC is on its one on this one.

 

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