Strike: Labour Compromised To Disobey Court Order - Coalition

By Innocent Imoh

A coalition of civil society groups, Citizens for Justice Network, CJN, has accused organized labour of compromise over its insistence on going on strike despite a valid court order against it.

The CJN made up of Peoples Alliance for Indigenous Rights, PAIR, Society for Gender Equity, SGE, and Network for Transparency, NET, decried the strike action slated for November 6 by the Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress and United Labour Congress.

The coalition in a statement in Abuja on Monday warned that if organized labour can wilfully flout court orders, what will politicians and political parties do.

“We find it troubling that despite a subsisting court order, organized labour has insisted on embarking on a strike action. This is clearly against the norms and values of trade unionism which is predicated on law, order and civility. For labour to now decide which law it will obey tells of something sinister other than the interest of workers.
“We are not unmindful that some segments of labour have become willing tools in the hands of the opposition after receiving heavy inducement.
“We can only wonder where lies the patriotism of organized labour at a time the country is recovering from years of plunder and economic mismanagement.
“It is expedient that the leadership of the various unions take into cognizance the plight of ordinary Nigerians and call off the strike, while continuing with negotiations with government,” a statement by Chris Odey on behalf of the coalition read.