The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has assured Nigerians that they would not backtrack on their resolve to embark on industrial action.
This is even as the union faulted a report that it reached an agreement with the Federal Government to suspend the planned indefinite strike scheduled for October 3.
This followed a statement credited to the Director, Press and Public Relations in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr Olajide Oshundun, that NLC agreed with the Federal Government to call off the strike.
Recall that the NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC) had at the end of the joint National Executive Council meeting concluded to embark on indefinite strike beginning from Tuesday over the hardship caused by the recent hike in the price of petrol and other sundry issues.
But in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, the Head of Information and Public Affairs of the NLC, Mr Benson Upah pointed out that the union did not hold talks with the Federal Government that may lead to the suspension of the proposed strike.
The statement reads: “Accordingly, we find it necessary to make clarifications. Firstly, we do not have any agreement with the government to suspend the planned strike action.
“While we do not intend to demean or minimise the office of the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, this matter is beyond the Ministry.
“This should have been obvious to them during our most recent meeting,” he added.
Upah commended the role played by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Mr Simon Lalong in securing the release of the executives of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) from unlawful and illegal police detention.
He said that the executive of NURTW were lawfully elected into office, advising the police and others behind their travails to desist from the despicable and shameful conduct.
“They are advised to retrace their steps. If democracy is to be meaningful to us, then we should resist the urge or temptation for impunity. Enough is enough,” he said.
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