SPN condemns suspension of strike by NLC, TUC

[Edoman]

POLITICS
SPN condemns suspension of strike by NLC, TUC


 
on
 September 30, 2020



Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) has condemned the action of the leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) for suspending the planned protest and strike which was to commence on Monday.


DAILY POST gathered that NLC and TUC had in the early hours of Monday suspended the strike at a meeting with representatives of the Federal Government.


SPN, while reacting, said it was wrong for the two labour unions to call off the strike and mass protest without achieving its purpose.

SPN noted that the party rejects the agreement signed between the labour leadership and the Federal government.


The party, in a statement signed by its Acting National Chairperson, Comrade Abiodun Bamigboye and National Secretary, Comrade Chinedu Bosah, maintained that workers and the Nigerian people must fight for the return of the power sector under a democratic control of workers and consumers.
The duo noted that it was worrisome that the strike was called off without winning the reversal of the prices of fuel and electricity tariff.

The party added that workers, youths and the masses must continue to organize to resist the hike in fuel price, hike in electricity tariff and other anti-poor capitalist attacks.


“The strike was called off without winning the reversal of the prices of fuel and electricity tariff. Rather, labour leaders acquiesced to the position of the government on deregulation and only agreed to suspend the electricity tariff for two weeks.


“It is more ridiculous for labour leaders to agree to palliatives that is so insignificant even if it is implemented, an area wherein government has failed woefully in the past.

“We recall that it was the pressure from below in trade unions and outside as well as the groundswell of anger which forced the labour leadership to issue ultimatum for strike in the first instance.


“It should be recalled that different protests were held over hikes in fuel price and electricity tariff including Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) on September 10, 2020 and Joint Action Front (JAF) on September 16, 2020.

“Regardless of the position of labour leadership, we call on workers, youth and the poor masses to continue to organize to resist the hike in fuel price, hike in electricity tariff and other anti-poor capitalist attacks.

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“We call on workers and trade union activists to reject the anti-poor deregulation policy which the labour leaders have accepted on their behalf, more so without any democratic discussion and engagement.
“It is also clear that the labour leaders have not rescinded their support for neo-liberal policies of privatization and deregulation as labour representatives sit on the board of the National Council for Privatization, a body that sells our collective assets to the thieving bourgeois elite.

“As long capitalist policies are implemented, there will more attacks on the working conditions of the working masses through price hikes for the purpose of guaranteeing huge profit for the capitalists.
“For the SPN, only a nationalized planned economy under workers democratic control and management can ensure the use of human and material resources for the needs of all.


“Therefore, workers and the working people must fight for the return of the power sector under a democratic control of workers and consumer in order to guarantee the judicious use and democratic planning of its resources and thereby ensure affordable and regular electricity.

“It is the lack of this clear socio-economic and political alternative by the labour leaders to the anti-poor policies of the government that is responsible for the usual rotten compromise and their difficulty to defend the interest of the working people.


“Therefore, we call on workers and trade union activists and workers to agitate for a fighting labour leadership and truly democratically run labour organization that leads the working people to resist anti-poor capitalist policies and for better working conditions”.