Gwamcee News
Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria will today, Tuesday join the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC on its planned nationwide strike over assault on NLC president, non payment of salaries and non-compliance to national minimum wage.
A statement signed by Head of Media, Comrade John Kennedy Ikemefuna, on behalf of the President- General, Prince Adewale Adeyanju, said: “The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) will midnight Tuesday 14, 2023, commence a nationwide strike.”
According to the statement, the strike is coming on the instructions of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held, Monday, November 13, 2023, directing all affiliates of the Congress to strictly comply.
The statement said, the NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC) took this decision after their joint meeting in Abuja, which was prompted by a series of infractions and encroachments of the rights of workers, and the distressing incidents involving the abduction and assault on the NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero and other Unions’officials and the continued refusal of government to implement agreements, non-payment of backlog of salaries, pensions, descriminatory payment of salaries and non-compliance to national minimum wage.
It noted that, as an affiliate of the NLC, the MWUN is geared to commence the nationwide strike as directed by the NLC.
Earlier, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had ordered workers nationwide to shutdown their services by midnight despite a court order restraining them from embarking on strike as a result of assault of NLC president by the Imo State government.
A statement issued on Monday directing all workers nationwide to withdraw their services at midnight reads: “In furtherance to the decision of the Joint National Executive Council (NEC) of NLC and TUC, all workers in Nigeria are hereby directed to withdraw their services effective 12:00 midnight today, 13th November 2023,” the unions said in a joint statement.
“Consequently, all affiliates and state councils of NLC/TUC are directed to issue circulars for maximum compliance and these circulars be made available to the National Secretariats or posted to the NEC and CWC Whatsapp Platforms.”
While assuring members of further updates about the nationwide strike, organised labour urged them to “remain assured of our commitment to Nigerian workers and people”.