The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) and the National Union of Electricity Employees have asked their members to join the nationwide strike declared by the two labour centres – the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria to protest the assault on NLC President, Joe Ajaero.
Also, the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) and the National Union of Banks Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE) have joined the strike.
Federal workers have also been asked to join the nationwide strike which commenced on Tuesday.
General Secretary, Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Joshua Apebo directed federal workers to withdraw services nationwide.
However, on Tuesday, some federal workers showed up for work.
For example, at the Federal Ministry of Education, offices were opened as workers went about their business.
In the education sector, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU); National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT); Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU); Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP); Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics have asked their members to stay away from work.
Labour unions in the maritime and health sectors also asked their members to comply with the directive reached at the joint National Executive Council of the two labour centres.
The health sector is not left out as the nurses union has asked their members to downtool.
Acting General Secretary, Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Salihu Abubakar asked workers to join the nationwide strike.
Also, the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives asked its members to comply strictly with the NEC directive.
Judiciary workers Union has also asked its members to join the strike.
Despite the ruling of the National Industrial Court, organised labour on Tuesday called put workers for a nationwide strike.
The NLC president, Ajaero had led workers to protest against the Imo State government where violence broke out and was beaten in the process.
Ajaero said he was handed over to thugs allegedly by the police and was “beaten like a common criminal.”
The NLC president, while narrating his experience, said he was “dragged on the floor like a common criminal.”
Angered by the assault on the NLC President, labour demanded for the redeployment of the Commissioner of Police in Imo state.
The Inspector General of Police has met the demand by redeploying the commissioner of police.
Some of the demands are: redeployment and investigation of the Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command; the sacking of the Area Commander of the Nigeria Police Force and all other Officers and Men in Owerri through whom the Police Commissioner supervised the brutalisation and humiliation of Comrade Ajaero and other workers and Mr Nwaneri Chinasa, Adviser on Special Duties who supervised the terror on workers and bestial brutality meted out to Congress President, Comrade Joe Ajaero be arrested immediately and prosecuted for his crimes against workers and the President.
Others are: an immediate, independent and unbiased thorough professional medical examination of Comrade Ajaero in light of the physical and psychological injuries inflicted on him; other workers and journalists subjected to inhuman treatment by the Police and the Hope Uzodimma’s goons be treated by the State and all the properties lost be restored immediately and the mplementation of all outstanding Industrial Relations issues as previously agreed with the Imo state Government.
Credit: The Nation
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