NLC, TUC Sued Over Nationwide Strike and Protest,FG;

Following a statewide demonstration on Wednesday, the Federal Government (FG) has sued organized labor, which includes the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

According to reports, unions gathered at specific locations across megacities on Wednesday to protest the federal government’s elimination of fuel subsidies.

In response to the government’s failure to meet their demands, organized labor has vowed to go on strike.

Following the Wednesday protest, the federal government initiated a contempt process against the labor organizations for allegedly violating an order prohibiting the unions from engaging in industrial action.

Remember that the NLC had previously given the federal government a seven-day deadline to remove any “anti-poor” and “insensitive” policies.

Among the initiatives cited by the union are the recent increase in the price of gasoline and the unexpected increase in public school fees.

However, the federal government stated that the union is prohibited by a national industrial court decision from engaging in any industrial action or strike in response to the loss of the gasoline subsidy.

Although Femi Falana, a well-known human rights lawyer, backed the union, stating that the strike action did not constitute contempt of court and that peaceful protests were within its fundamental rights.

However, the federation’s solicitor-general, Beatrice Jedy-Agba, stated that the planned strike and protests could not be described as peaceful because they were designed to “ground the government by endangering public peace and instilling fear in the masses.”

She stated that the subject matter, which is the main cause of the case, is subjudice and that the parties in the complaint are required to maintain the status quo until the suit is heard and decided.

The sitting judge, Olufunke Anuwe, granted an injunction prohibiting the NLC and TUC from embarking on any planned industrial action or strike awaiting the hearing and judgment of the motion on notice filed by the federal government, ruling on an ex-parte motion filed by the federal government.