LABOUR NEWS

Nigerian Railways union vows to embark on strike over anti-workers activities by FG

By Andrew Ojiezel, pulled from LEADERSHIP, Sunday Oct 30, 2021 edition

The leadership of organised unions in Nigerian Railways Corporation have vowed to down tools without prior notice over anti-workers activities by Federal Government.

The two unions under the umbrella of Nigerian Railways Corporation (NUR) and its senior staff, Senior Staff Association (SSA/NUR) in a unanimous decision, based their planned strike over age-long neglect of the welfare of workers of the corporation and inability of Federal Government to give insurance cover for the workers, especially those driving the trains.

In an exclusive interview with LEADERSHIP Newspaper after their joint press briefing last week, the President General, Comrade Innocent Luka Ajiji told this medium that the threat to downtool can take place without any further warning following the threat of lives of members and poor renumerations for the workers.

Ajiji who reaffirmed the statement that was signed by him and the President of NUR, Comrade Aliyu Mainasara, said that the union is using this medium to call on both the management and government to act accordingly by insuring lives of the workers inview of first of its kind bombing of the train.

Lamening the risk members of the unions are being exposed to, Ajiji and Mainasara, commended the bravery of the drivers of the train during the bombing last week, they warned that unless urgent steps are taken to secure the workers just as they have insured the trains, more attacks may still come.

It is hoped Federal Government and the management of Nigerian Railways will embrace the option of swift responding to the welfare issues of the workers which regrettably have suffered gravely in the hands of government and management.

In the warning, Ajiji said, “in the advent of the management of the corporation still depriving the workers of their welfare and due conveniences, we shall have no option than to explore workable alternative strategies to demand for the legitimate rights of the workers.”

Reacting to LEADERSHIP Newspaper for further clarification on the above statement, Ajiji said since “the only language they understand is strike, unless they meet our demand, we shall downtool till they address our demands.”