By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
Organised Labour in Cross River State, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, the Trade Union Congress, TUC, and other affiliates has described the suspended industrial action as unfortunate and charged Nigerians not to lose hope, but instead keep faith with the union’s leadership.
Speaking with journalists in Calabar yesterday on the issue, leaders of the two foremost union, Com. Ben Ukpebi of the NLC and Monday Ogbodum of the TUC respectively, who debriefed members of both unions, stressed that as workers, they were fully prepared to embark on the action, but unfortunately those at the helms of affairs saw the need to give the Federal Government two weeks to meet up with workers’ demands.
Ukpepi said, “It is unfortunate that the strike with workers across the state and beyond who were ready to give the federal Government a show down, has been suspended. We have to sheath our swords until after two weeks.
“We have no choice than to obey what the leadership at the national level has instructed, it is unfortunate that the strike was suspended, but dialogue is still key.
“When things like these happen, you start heading stories of betrayal and compromise, but dialogue is still the best way, it is a suspension and not a total call off, so we are on top of the situation.”
In his earlier remarks, the TUC Chairman, Ogbodum, called on Nigerians to keep faith, stressing that the battle was not yet lost.
He said, “It is not yet over, we have only agreed to give the Federal Government two weeks to meet our demands, nothing has changed; Nigerians workers should keep faith with us; we will never disappoint them.
“We want to appeal to Cross River workers and Nigerian, that two weeks is not two months or two years; they should keep faith with us and also turn out enmasse as they have done today, even though the strike was suspended.”
