After three straight days of strike and protest in what was initially planned to be five days, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on Wednesday, suspended its action in Kaduna.
The protest was to vent labour’s anger against the Kaduna State government over its disengagement of thousands of workers in the state public service.
The strike had paralysed Kaduna State as electricity workers affiliated to the NLC cut off supply, thereby making life more unbearable for people, as Governor Nasir el-Rufai refused to yield ground.
President of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba announced the suspension of the strike on Wednesday in Kaduna at a press conference after the day’s procession.
Wabba said that the suspension was to pave way for negotiation as requested by the Federal Government which intervened in the face-off between the two parties.
“As you are aware, we have been in Kaduna for the past four days for our declared protest and industrial action against the sack of workers enmass without following due process as provided by the labour law.
“This action was successful and we tried to maintain procedures of industrial action.
“This afternoon an official letter was communicated to the NLC national headquarters signed by the Minister of Labour,” he said.
Wabba noted that the Federal Executive Council meeting had earlier called for intervention on the protest, for both parties to discuss the issues at stake.
“We will honour the meeting as scheduled for tomorrow (today) at 11:a.m. The labour leaders in Kaduna will also be present because they have the substance of the issues in the state,” he said.
Wabba further said that the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the NLC would be held at the Labour House in Abuja on May 21, to review the warning action that was prosecuted in Kaduna state and determine further action.
“It is the commitment of the organs that once we are able to prosecute the first phase, we must then consult the organ to go ahead,” he said.
Wabba said that in the course of going further to facilitate dialogue, the NLC had suspended the strike immediately.
He thanked all their members in the state and affiliate unions for giving effect to the decision of the NEC. He also thanked the citizens of Kaduna state, saying “we now have seen their positive comments.”
“Even those that are hired to protest today were not informed on the reason to protest.
“When they realised they were sent to protest against the protest of workers’ rights, they out rightly stated that that was not the purpose for which they were hired,” Wabba said.
