Though with partial compliance, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its Trade Union Congress (TUC) affiliate in Cross River state, on Monday joined her counterparts nationwide to commence an indefinite strike action to press home her demands from the Federal government.
In a circular pasted at the gates of both the Federal and state secretariat complexes on Monday in Calabar, labor indicated that the strike action will be indefinite.
Also, in her notice of strike action cited by our correspondent, the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, directed her members nationwide to join the exercise.
However, further checks by our correspondent showed that some commercial banks, especially those situated around the Federal and new secretariats axis in the state were opened for business transactions.
Recall that members of the labour unions had earlier rejected the offer of #60,000 minimum wage for public servants presented by the Federal government.
In its notice of commencement of strike action, the labour unions hinged her decision among other things: on the failure of governments to agree on a new minimum wage and subsequently pass it into law before the end of May, 2024, reverse the hike in electricity tariff from #225/kwh to #66/kwh.
“ Following the declaration of an indefinite nationwide strike beginning Monday, 3rd June, 2024 on account of governments’ failure to:
“Agree on a new national minimum wage and subsequently pass it into law before the end of May, 2024.
“Reverse the hike in electricity tariff from #225/kwh to #66/kwh.
“Stop the apartheid categorization of Nigerian Electricity consumers into bands”, the notice signed by the labor unions action committee, read in part.
Meanwhile, a member of the NLC in the state, who spoke to our correspondent in confidence on the partial compliance of the strike action, said it was not unusual to observe such apathy on day one of almost every strike actions in the state.
He, however, expressed optimism that by tomorrow there will be full compliance by all.
According to him, “It is not strange to observe that, but by tomorrow it will be a total strike action because everyone is affected by the insensitivity of this government.”
As at the time of filing this report, the gates of both the state and Federal secretariat complexes as well as some commercial banks in the state were still under lock and key, with members of the labour union seated around to ensure compliance.
Also, some public and private nursery, primary and secondary schools in the state were not open for studies as both pupils and students were sent back home.
