NLC and OPS argue about position regarding upcoming nationwide strike ,The Organized Private Sector (OPS), which opposes a statewide strike on the grounds that the economy cannot support it at this time, has come under fire from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for doing so.It said that the OPS opposed the strike because it wanted to keep paying employees slave wages.
The NLC further claimed that some organizations thought to be government spies intended to thwart the ongoing fight for remedies to mitigate the effects of petrol subsidy elimination.
Yesterday, a reliable source informed Vanguard that the administration was making a concerted effort to utilize some union members and other associations to discredit the struggle by making the claim that any strike initiated by labor would aggravate the economic crisis.
The source added that certain organized private sector associations had resorted to adopting ridiculous views out of a fear that they could be forced to follow any stance the government would take in favor of workers.
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When asked what might happen at the NEC meeting tomorrow, the source responded: “It’s hard to predict what will happen at NEC because the government is spending more time sowing discord and sabotaging the struggle than it is putting the same amount of time and effort into finding solutions.
“They are buying additional time by employing a variety of strategies against individuals who would criticize and oppose the NLC leadership as well as those who will assert that the leadership is acting independently.
“The problem is that so many of the manufacturing and street workers are unable to go to work because of the economic downturn. Because they want to keep paying slave wages, the government and the manufacturers’ group, NECA, can be seen voicing their opinions.
Posers from NLC for OPS
“Why hasn’t the organized private sector alone raised employees’ wages? Do they have to wait for the public if they are patriotic? They are suggesting that NLC shouldn’t take action because even the public sector rising pay gives them the chills.
“We should have convened as employers and stakeholders to discuss all of these issues, not as they were talking to the NLC on newspaper pages.
These are some of the actions the government is taking to persuade all of these organizations that the strike will reduce output.
“Does it not affect productivity when governors order people to work only two or three days per week while they are off on the other days?”
In response to the question of whether there has been any effort to use some unions or union members to splinter the ranks of the NLC, he stated: “The government is even talking to some of the union members.”
The source, who spoke under the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on behalf of the Congress, responded to the claim that the Trade Union Congress, or TUC, may have been conquered by the government to work against the NLC, saying he would not want to use the term “world conquered” because the TUC has made its own demands of the government and that “we need to wait and find out what the government is doing about the demands.”
Government collaborators against the NLC
On the other hand, he asserted that “government is using groups to infiltrate the NLC and swell public opinion against the sufferings of workers.”
When asked if the NEC meeting would choose the day the strike would start once the 21-day deadline had passed, he responded, “The NEC meeting will decide the next move.
“In most cases, the question of a strike or no strike comes up when you report progress. Therefore, it is anticipated that the strike issue would come up during the NEC meeting. If anything is on the table, it will be taken into consideration.
When pressed further if the government had called the NLC to a meeting since the 21-day ultimatum expired last Friday, the source responded, “There is no invitation.”
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