The Joint Action Front (JAF) has declared its support for the two-day warning strike embarked upon by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
It also declared its support for the demand for an immediate end to the attacks on the democratic rights of members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and workers in Imo and Abia states to independently determine their leadership without government interference.
In a statement issued on Tuesday signed by its Chairperson, Dr. Dipo Fashina and Secretary, Comrade Abiodun Aremu, JAF also commended NLC National Executive Committee for its resolution to totally shut down the country by embarking on an indefinite nationwide general strike, should the President Bola Tinubu-led government fail, in the next 14 or 21 days fail to address the hardship in the country.
The statement reads, “However, we urge the NLC to desist from preoccupying itself with the so-called palliatives. Rather, we propose that they should fight for concrete demands such as the reversal of petrol prices to N195, building of public refineries, the reversal of the recent hikes in fees at different higher institutions and a new decent minimum wage.
“Also importantly, the next strike should not be a sit-at-home action but include different mass activities including a nationwide protest march, together with effective preparation and adequate mass mobilisation at workplaces, communities, schools and markets.
“JAF reaffirms its position that ‘at the moment, millions of workers and poor Nigerians are finding it hard to go out daily to earn their living’. And we had warned that the challenge of the working class to struggle in Nigeria should go beyond negotiating for palliatives, because such ephemeral and ad-hoc measures have in the past three decades, shown abysmal failure to cushion the effect of the criminal hike and the so-called subsidy removal.
“We salute the commitment of the NLC in this proactive warning strike, to stand firm with its long-standing tradition of principled struggle, by its commendable position of boycotting henceforth, ‘the rituals of fruitless meetings’ with an irresponsible and insensitive regime, that is intoxicated on forcing its imposed neoliberal policies of hardship and repressive measures on the masses of our exploited and oppressed people!
“Therefore, JAF urges Nigerians to give their total support to the NLC to stand firm on principles at all times and avoid hurriedly packaged and deceptive measures that are usually presented at the so-called negotiation table, which in most cases, turn out to be a deceptive arrangement, intended to buy time for the introduction of additional suffering measures and impositions.
“As JAF, we have consistently urged the NLC to advance the demand for public ownership of the oil and gas sector under democratic workers' control and democratic management! We want to once more urge the NLC never to surrender to the regime of IMF-World Bank's destructive policies.
“More importantly, JAF urges Nigerians to prepare for the indefinite strike that should commence without further notice at the expiration of the ultimatum already declared by the NLC.”
“Therefore, we call on artisans, traders, community people and youth activists, professionals, organised women groups, etc., to join forces with organised Labour to organise and resist any attack against the interest, living conditions and means of livelihood of the working people and oppressed masses,” it added.