For the avoidance of doubt, we aligned with all men of good conscience in condemning the heinous attack and bestial dehumanization of the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Joe Ajaero by obvious mercenary, fascist thugs in Imo State while on an assignment to demand for the rights of workers’ owed arrears of salaries and pensioners’ emoluments.
However, the declaration of a National Industrial strike action by the two national Labour Centres, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC is in clear violations of globally recognized, industrial disputes resolution principles, extant laws, and would injure more our frail, ailing national economy. Thus, we unequivocally call on the leadership of the organized labour to put on their patriotic thinking caps and reconsider this clarion for strike action on a matter that can be satisfactorily resolved by parties in just, fair and equitable, social dialogue processes without adverse consequences on the economy.
We are apt to note that this strike is predicated on a “dispute of rights” not, a “dispute of interest”, which in industrial relations practices cannot be a ground for declaration of strike action. More importantly, fact check shows that there is a subsisting court order preventing the Labour from embarking on this strike.
To us, two wrongs has never made a right. The brutal violation of the dignity of persons of the labour leader by fascist storm troopers cannot be redressed by committing a counter-illegalities. Moreover, the Federal Government has demonstrated requisite will to deal with the perpetrators of the heinous attack on the NLC President. For instance, the Commissioner of Police under whose watch, the Police played a complicit role has since been redeployed out of the State while pertinent investigations to fish out culprits for disciplinary actions have been initiated.
Our major concern, however, is the fragile state of our national economy, which is not only grasping for breadth but requires clinical stability to bring it back on its toes. We are aware that any disruption in our production processes which the labour holds key position in, would set socio-economic recovery initiatives back into duodenums. Macro-economic stability, which this strike action would distort is vital to the nation’s campaigns to woo direct foreign investment portfolios to shore up our nearly drowning national currency in exchange with peer foreign denominations.
We are of the strong view that the offence of insignificantly minute, dredges of society in a corner post of Owerri, Imo State should not hold the entire nation at ransom. The leprous fingers should be solely amputated for its crimes without becoming a cantankerous, spreading gangrene affecting the entire national body polity. The Federal Government must therefore, necessarily partner with the labour leadership to decisively punish the culprits within the ambits of the law.
We call on both the Federal Government and the organized labour unions NLC / TUC to genuinely enlist social dialogue mechanism to find an amicable common ground panacea and avoid this national strike action in overriding interest of our ailing, national economy. Justice must be seen to be manifestly done, as the heavens would not fall.
E-Signed :
BALOGUN HAMEED
Convener
Frontline Socio – Economy Research Centre
07086601465
OMOTEHINSE ALEX
Secretary
Centre for Human and Socio-economic Right
08038007036
COALITION OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS:
Network Alliance for Global Challenge
Good Governance for the masses
Centre for Human Rights Advocacy
Lawyers Without Borders, Abuja
Youth Initiative Agenda for Democratic Process
Southwest People Parliamentary Agenda
Yoruba Youth Assembly
Peace Initiative For Better Nigeria
Boarders People’s Rights Agenda
