Labour Forced Kaduna Polytechnic Students Out Of Campus, Locks School Gate Over Nationwide Strike
Kaduna State Polytechnic has been shut down by labour officials over the indefinite nationwide strike declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
The students were driven out of the Unguwan Rimi Campus of the polytechnic on Monday morning by union officials who stormed the school.
The officials drove the students out of the school before locking the gate, according to Channels Television.
The organised labour had declared an indefinite strike over the Federal Government's failure to conclude and pass a new National Minimum Wage Act into law and reverse the electricity tariff hike to N65/kWh.
They directed all their members in the states and affiliate unions to ensure total compliance with the strike action, which started at midnight on June 3, 2024.
A statement issued after their meeting on Friday which was jointly signed by the NLC President and TUC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero and Comrade Festus Osifo, said, "Today's meeting further demonstrated the unseriousness and apparent contempt with which the Nigerian state holds the demands of Nigerian workers and people. No Governor was present and Ministers were absent except the Minister of state for Labour and Employment who doubles as a conciliator.
"There was none present on the side of the government with appropriate authority to commit them to any outcome; in essence, the Government abandoned the meeting. We consider this disdainful and show a lack of commitment to a successful National Minimum Wage negotiation exercise.
"You will all recall that during the last May Day celebration on the 1st of May 2024, we issued a clear ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding the conclusion of this critical exercise by the end of the month. However, there has been no significant progress or commitment from the government towards meeting this demand.
"We also demanded a reversal of the last hike in electricity tariff from N225/kwh back to N65/kWh and stoppage of the apartheid categorization of consumers into Bands. We carried out a nationwide one-day protest on the 13th day of May 2024, giving the government until the last day of this month to take action but the government has not entirely shown any positive response despite the national outrage at this insensitive hike.
"Nigerian workers, who are the backbone of our nation’s economy, deserve fair and decent wages that reflect the current economic realities. It is disheartening that despite our repeated calls and the clear ultimatum issued, the government continues to neglect its responsibility to the workforce. It has rather than engage in a dialogue persistently raised its attack dogs to seek to denigrate and intimidate trade union leaders.
"It continues to remain our belief that the people ought to be the only reason for governance and nothing else. The government must therefore seek the welfare of the people at all times and refusal to put the people first compels all patriots to take the right step in assisting the government to govern well.
"The hike in electricity tariff impoverishes further the already suffering people and denies them the right to decent living. Instead of taking remedial action or engaging in a meaningful dialogue, Nigerians were visited with a barrage of the usual propaganda.
“In light of this persistent inaction, we, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), hereby issue a notice of commencement of an indefinite nationwide strike to the Federal Government.
"We reiterate that since the National Minimum Wage negotiation exercise has not been concluded and the agreed wage passed into law; the hike in electricity tariff not reversed and categorization of consumers into Bands not stopped as demanded; Nigerian workers are compelled by these failures to embark on an indefinite nationwide industrial action beginning on Monday, the 3rd of June 2024 to press home our demands.”
Students of the Kaduna Polytechnic have been locked out of their campus by labour officials in compliance with the nationwide indefinite strike declared by the NLC/ TUC.
As early as 7am, union officials stormed the Unguwan Rimi Campus of the Polytechnic and drove the students.
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