It’s very necessary, workers are suffering – Nigerians react to nationwide strike (Video)
Workers are welcoming the decision of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) to embark on a nationwide strike over the refusal of the federal government to increase the national minimum wage and to reverse the electricity tariff hike.
On Monday, labour workers shut down offices, banks, and higher institutions in commencement of the indefinite strike.
Neptune Prime spoke to some workers found at the premises of the closed offices to get their reactions regarding the industrial action.
Salisu Usman, a civil servant with the federal government, pleaded with FG to give in to the demands of labour unions so as to alleviate the current hardship in the nation.
He said, “I support the ongoing strike, poor masses are suffering because of the current economic reality in Nigeria accompanied by the peanuts government give them as salaries, here we are for work but have been denied entry, I just hope the government hears the cries of civil servants and consider the demands put forth by the unions.
READ ALSO: NLC Strike In Abuja: Banks, gov’t offices, national grid, shut down (Pictures)
Mercy Zanke, a civil servant with the Ministry of Education, told _Neptune Prime_ that she’s returning home because of the strike, she applauded the unions for the decision, adding that the industrial action will pressure the government into offering a higher minimum wage and help workers cope with the high cost of food items and transportation fares.
Another worker, Mohammed, commended the unions for prioritising the welfare of citizens. He opted for the strike to continue until the government agrees to either reduce the high cost of food items or increase wages.
Earlier, the federal government told the NLC and the TUC to continue with the negotiation and shelve their plan to embark on an ‘illegal’ nationwide strike action on Monday.
The Attorney General of the Federal and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, in a statement on Sunday, described the proposed industrial action as “premature, ineffectual and illegal.”
He stated that the agitation for an increase in the minimum wage of workers in the country is currently being addressed, adding that the labour unions failed to fulfil the conditions precedent to enable them to embark on strike.
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