Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said that organised labour did not commit treason during its fight for minimum wage increase.
Gatekeepers News reports that NLC made the statement as a reaction to comments by the secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), George Akume who accused the Organised Labour of committing treason by shutting the national grid.
Recall that organised labour had proposed N615,500 and then N494,000 as the new national minimum wage, but the federal government disagreed saying it was unrealistic.
The union then embarked on an indefinite strike on Monday but called it off on Tuesday to pave the way for further negotiations with the federal government.
Workers had, during the strike shut down the grid and withdrew their services from the airports among other actions.
NLC’s head of public affairs, Benson Upah through a statement released on Friday claimed their actions were clear and just.
He said that those looting the treasury and padding the budgets are guilty of sabotaging the economy.
Upah said “These demands are grounded in the need for economic justice and fairness for all Nigerian workers and citizens. The SGF we are sure clearly knows those whose actions are treasonable and sabotage our economy.”
“Those who loot our treasury around the country, those who divert public resources meant for hospitals and schools; those who are involved in foreign exchange round tripping; padding of budgets and inflating contracts including those who steal trillions of naira in the name of subsidy are the real economic saboteurs who commit treasonable felony.”
“These people are in costly Agbada and drive in convoys all around the nation occupying the corridors of power and not innocent workers who are not slaves but chose to withdraw their services because of the inhuman treatment meted on them by the government.”
“We reject completely the unfortunate insinuations around the SGF’s remarks because strikes are not only legal but also a civic duty.”
“We are surprised that the SGF will demonstrate such a glaring sense of unawareness to the understanding of the fact that when workers withdraw their services which is their right, machines cannot operate themselves so, they grind to a halt.”
Upah further said labour would “not surrender the trust and confidence Nigerian workers and people have bestowed on us to blackmail by the SGF or any other official”.
