NLC strike: NURTW backs out, gives reasons

NLC strike: NURTW backs out, gives reasons 

 

The National Union of Road Transport Workers( NURTW) has said its members who are mainly commercial drivers will not take part in the planned nationwide strike called by Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) fixed for October 3.

NURTW stated this in a statement issued on Saturday, positing that the planned strike was ill-timed and in bad faith.

Leader of the transport union, Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede, stated the union’s position after an emergency meeting with all the state chairmen, secretaries and treasurers in Abuja.

He said his members after reviewing the situation, decided to back out of the proposed NLC strike.

“We felt that participating in any industrial strike is not in our best interest, especially now that majority of Nigerians are struggling to survive. The timing of the planned strike is not in tandem with the current economic reality.

“Our members are going through a lot of hardship. So participating in any strike will cause more harm for our members.

“We felt the strike will not serve any purpose to our members who are mostly commercial drivers operating in the informal sector of the economy.

“We are not salary earners. Ours is work and eat. Our members depend mainly on what they make from their daily operations. So, to embark on any strike action will have serious negative impacts on our members daily earnings

“Again, there some members who purchase their vehicles through hire purchase options and this category of people are mandated to make repayment either on a daily or weekly basis. so any strike action will affect the repayment agreement and the company or dealer or bank that gave out vehicles will not take any excuses.”

Agbede appealed to the NLC to give the government enough time to work out modalities on the best way out, stating that going on strike now would only compound the problems.

He urged commercial drivers to disregard the planned strike by going about their daily operations and to report anybody that tries to force them to join the strike to law enforcement agencies.