The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) leadership was not present at a meeting summoned by the federal government to prevent the union’s planned two-day warning strike.
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) meeting, which was scheduled to begin at 3 p.m., was attended by Festus Osifo and began at precisely 5:32 p.m.
The strike would start on Tuesday, according to an announcement made by NLC president Joe Ajaero on September 1.
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Simon Lalong, the minister of labour and employment, called to the NLC to postpone the planned warning strike over the effect of the elimination of petrol subsidies on the general public during a press conference on Monday in Abuja.
Lalong said such a strike would be detrimental to the gains already being recorded by the new administration.
He said the leadership of the congress should give the government more time to address the issues being raised by NLC.
“In light of these matters, I would like to reiterate my appeal to the leadership of the NLC to suspend the warning strike and subsequent future actions to allow us to work together to amicably resolve these issues rather than embark on actions that would further worsen the conditions of the citizens of Nigeria,” Lalong said.
“I would request that the comrade leadership of the NLC give this government some time to settle and address the issues on the ground holistically.”
