By Adekola Afolabi
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Strike has been described as the last and most potent weapon used by labour leaders in pressing home workers’ demands.
Speaking on the effectiveness of strike actions in pressing home labour unions’ demands under labour law, human rights activist and Chairman, Governing Council of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Dr Tunji Abayomi, the former Commissioner for Information, Chief Femi Aluko and an industrial relations expert, Comrade Gbenga Olowoyo, believed that strike is always effective and remains the last option in the hand of labour leaders in getting government attention.
They, however, said it is unfortunate that Nigeria leaders are not worried about the plights of the masses in the face of industrial action.
Abayomi who noted that he did not see any other option for strike other than dialogue, added that dialogue and strike are inter-dependent under labour law.
“The cooperation of government is essential in terms of looking at other options. Strike is moderately effective because if, for example, you are striking for what is not possible, no government will concede. On the other hand, without strike, what instrument does the labour community have?
“You will observe that strikes are more prevalent in developing countries than in the developed countries because in the developed countries, largely, the government is able to meet the needs of the people.
“If you look at Nigeria now, for instance, practical case of mismanaging the economy since 1960 and the level of corruptions, thefts of public funds brought this nation to where it is now.
“So, when workers are there working and you have a government that is spending money, billions of naira, for irrelevances and very little money for education and others, there will be strike. So, it is a difficult situation for workers because it is just moderately effective if you assess the benefit arising from strike in pressing home their demands”, Abayomi stressed.
On his part, former Commissioner for Information in the state, Chief Femi Aluko, stated that strike is always effective but it is unfortunate that Nigeria leaders are not worried about strike because the industrial action does not directly affect their purse but that of government.
“When workers are on strike and not on their duty posts for weeks, you know how much we will have lost in terms of economy. We will have lost billions of naira in this poor economy. But do the people at the helm of affairs worry? They don’t worry whether we are losing this or we are losing that because it is not their father’s money.
“Can you imagine when the whole universities are on strike and the students all over the country are at home, and the students went to the Minister’s office, and he walked out on them. Is that the normal thing?
“Nigeria government is not ready to listen to anybody. We have said it several times that government officials’ children should not be allowed to go and study overseas. If all of us are suffering then they will know where shoe pinches”, Aluko said
Also speaking, an industrial relations expert and Assistant General Secretary, Nigerian Civil Service Union (NCSU), National Headquarters, Abuja, Comrade Gbenga Olowoyo, disclosed that strike has been the last weapon that is always coming to bear when it comes to issue of agitations and meeting the demands of workers.
