Dare Babalola
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have urged workers of the Federal Capital Territory to defend their rights amidst the ongoing dispute with the minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, over unresolved welfare issues, including alleged unpaid salaries and poor working conditions.
In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, the NLC and TUC expressed solidarity with FCT workers, stating that they have been shabbily treated by Wike, and pledged to support them in their struggle for their rights.
The statement condemned the FCT Minister’s behaviour, saying the workers have already got a raw deal from the industrial court’s ruling, and his adding intimidation, humiliation, insults, and harassment to the mix is unacceptable, prompting the NLC and TUC to speak out.
The labour unions reiterated that the strike will persist until Minister Wike steps down from his stance and engages in negotiations with the workers.
The statement read, “Today, we (NLC and TUC) find it necessary to issue a joint statement of support in solidarity with the workers of Federal Capital Territory who have been shabbily treated by the Minister of FCT, Mr Wike and rubber-stamped by an Abuja National Industrial Court in a one-sided ruling intended to break up the strike and make workers perpetual slaves.
“As patently skewed as the ruling was, we had thought Mr Wike would use the window to reach out to organised labour for an amicable resolution of the issues, but he had boastfully resorted to threats against workers.
“The offernses committed against the FCT workers are serious enough. To add intimidation, humiliation, insults and harassment to the menu is something we cannot watch from the sidelines.
“Workers cannot be made slaves in their country. We stand for the rule of law and its observance to the hilt, no matter the status of the parties to this dispute.
“Accordingly, we not only support the workers in this action, we urge them to maintain high morale in the face of relentless threats. Happily, Mr. Wike obtained an order of interlocutory injunction against the two individual union leaders and not against the striking trade unions. So the strike continues.”
