The Imo State Chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) on Tuesday, said it has pulled out of the proposed plan by the NLC, to commence indefinite strike action in the state from tomorrow, November 1, 2023.
The acting Imo State Chairman of the NLC, Rev Philip Nwansi, who made known the position, while addressing newsmen in Owerri, after a meeting with other Labour leaders in the State, said the decision to pull out of the planned action, was because of a subsisting Court order stopping the NLC from embarking on any such action.
The Industrial Court sitting in Owerri had last Friday, granted an order restraining the NLC from embarking on any industrial action in Imo State.
According to the State NLC Chairman, the planned strike code-named “Occupy Imo” had become illegal, as a result of the court order.
“All the affiliate unions, we are obeying the court order and we urge all Imo workers to be on their duty posts tomorrow as law-abiding citizens,” Nwansi directed.
He said apart from the court order, the organised Labour in Imo State doesn’t see any reason why the national body should order a strike.
“Workers of Imo State say vehemently no to “occupy Imo” because we have not found reasons enough for the action,” he argued.
He noted that Labour in Imo State has been on the same page with the State government and wondered why the national body should cry more than the bereaved.
Rev Nwansi noted that since Labour has no industrial dispute with the State government and since the Court has declared the planned strike tomorrow illegal, workers should go about their duties in their offices.
Meanwhile, the Christian Association of Nigerian (CAN), Imo State Chapter, has advised the leadership of the NLC, to shelve the idea of occupying Imo State in the name of strike because of the negative impact it will have on the people.
The body said that it is unthinkable for Labour leaders to contemplate a strike in Imo or any other part of the country for that matter now because of what the people are already going through.
Chairman of CAN, Imo State Chapter, Rev. Eches Divine Eches gave the advice when speaking to newsmen during a courtesy call on Governor Hope Uzodimma at the Government House Owerri by the group.
Rev Eches who said the CAN had come to restate her position on the Imo Charter of Equity as the way to go in guaranteeing political stability in Imo, also commended the Governor on the giant strides he has recorded in the State since mounting the saddle.
The CAN also said it was an opportunity for her to “appeal to the Nigerian Labour Congress led by Joe Ajaero to shelve their planned industrial action and occupation of Imo State for its negative impact on the populace of Imo State which include increased hardship and more set back on the economy of the State.”
The CAN Chairman said that the Imo State Government under Governor Uzodimma has remained committed to the prompt payment of salaries of workers in Imo State and the pensioners, including payment of 13th-month salary to the workers consecutively for two years now and wondered if NLC leadership under Ajaero is not pursuing political agenda with the call for strike in Imo State.
Rev Eches who said that the CAN is not aware of any sour relationship between the workers in Imo State and the Government as the workers themselves have at different fora confessed to being well taken care of by the Governor, cautioned those sowing seed of discord between the government and the workers in Imo State to be mindful of the implications.
He said that the only justification for anyone saying that the government of Imo State has not treated the workers well is if the person saying so has political intentions at his or her back. He said such thoughts have implications before God and man.
