Strike: Unions mobilise members for June 3
By Ukpono Ukpong
As tensions escalate between labor unions and the Federal Government of Nigeria, various unions have issued mobilization directives to their members, signaling an imminent nationwide strike.
The National Union of Banks, Insurance & Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE) and the Nigeria Union of Railway Workers (NUR) are among the unions urging participation in the indefinite strike scheduled to commence on Monday, June 3, 2024.
NUBIFIE calls for total compliance
In a letter addressed to its members, NUBIFIE cited the directives from the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) as the basis for the strike action.
The union emphasized the need to compel the government to address key issues, including the negotiation of a new national minimum wage and the reversal of the recent hike in electricity tariffs.
With a call for “Total Compliance,” NUBIFIE’s General Secretary, Muhammed Sheikh, urged members to mobilize effectively for the impending strike.
AUPCTRE echoes call for action
Similarly, the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) issued a directive urging members to join the nationwide strike.
Highlighting the importance of pressing demands regarding the national minimum wage negotiation and the electricity tariff hike, the union emphasized solidarity in achieving the desired outcomes.
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Comrade Sikiru Waheed, the General Secretary of AUPCTRE, stressed the importance of compliance with the strike action.
JUSUN joins the fray
Adding to the chorus of discontent, the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) announced its participation in the nationwide strike.
The union’s directive, signed by Comrade Moses Akwashiki, Ag. General Secretary, called on all branches and chapters to mobilize ahead of the action.
JUSUN expressed solidarity with the broader labour movement’s demands, emphasizing the need for government compliance on critical issues affecting workers’ welfare.
NUR issues notice of strike
Further intensifying the pressure on the government, the Nigeria Union of Railway Workers (NUR) issued a notice of an indefinite nationwide strike.
The union cited the government’s failure to address the negotiation of a new national minimum wage and the refusal to reverse the recent electricity tariff hike as primary reasons for the strike action.
NUR’s Secretary General, Comr. Igbokwe Francis, called for cooperation from management to ensure the protection of critical equipment and properties during the strike period.
Impending Showdown
With multiple unions mobilizing for a nationwide strike, tensions between labour groups and the government are reaching a boiling point.
The strike, scheduled to commence on June 3rd, 2024, threatens to paralyze key sectors of the economy unless the government addresses the grievances outlined by the unions.
As the countdown to the strike begins, the nation braces for potential disruptions and confrontations, underscoring the urgency for dialogue and resolution to avert a full-blown crisis.
