The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to embark on an indefinite strike action if the federal government does not address its demands on the removal of fuel subsidies and the hardship in the country.
The NLC issued the ultimatum after a meeting with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, and the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, ended in a deadlock on Monday.
The meeting was convened by the ministers to persuade the labour leaders to shelve their planned strike, which they had earlier staged for two days on September 5 and 6.
However, the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, said the meeting was fruitless as none of the agreements reached with the government in the past had been implemented.
The NLC leader said the union would meet with its National Executive Council on Wednesday to decide on the next line of action after the expiration of the ultimatum on September 21.
He warned that if the government fails to meet their demands, they would have no option but to shut down the country until their grievances are addressed.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, has appealed to the NLC to reconsider its stance and engage in dialogue with the government.
He said industrial actions have taken a toll on the nation’s economy and promised to partner with organised labour to address their demands in a balanced way.
He also expressed optimism that the meeting would resume at a later date and lead to a resolution that is in the national interest.
