By TINA TIMOTHY

As the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) gears up for a 2-day nationwide warning protest against the rising cost of living, insecurity and other anti-people policies of the Tinubu-led Federal Government, the Revolutionary Socialist Movement (RSM) has given its full support to the mass action.

RSM, in a statement on Tuesday, February 20, 2024 signed by its Publicity Secretary, Kayode Salako called on the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and other affiliate unions to immediately join the protest, adding that the proposed “strike is well-deserving and long overdue.”

The statement partly reads: “The Revolutionary Socialist Movement (RSM) backs the decision of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to embark on a 2-day nationwide warning protest against the rising cost of living, insecurity and other anti-people policies of the Tinubu-led Federal Government.We believe a nationwide protest of this is long overdue and we call on the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and other affiliate unions to immediately join and commence mobilizing for a total, comprehensive and massive protest on the 27^thand 28^thof February.

“The resolution of the NEC meeting of the NLC held on Friday 16^thof February to embark on this strike is well-deserving and long overdue. In fact, we believe the protest action should have commenced after the removal of the fuel subsidy and floating of Naira. As we warned during those periods, the economic policies of the Tinubu regime will bring nothing but more hardship on the mass of the working people. The economic crisis of Nigeria did not just start today. The origin of the current crisis can be linked to the successive capitalist governments of the country that have incessantly looted the collective wealth of people, privatized the commanding heights of the economy and subjected economic decisions to the recommendations of the world imperialists.”

The group further urged the NLC to prepare to commence an indefinite strike and not allow the federal government’s “romance and cosmetic measures” avert the strike action.

The statement continues: “We also support the other resolutions of the NLC, especially with the commencement of an indefinite strike action if the government fails to meet the demands of the workers. We call on the NLC to start making plans for this indefinite strike as the Tinubu-led FG has no magic to perform in a few days. The NLC should be wary of all forms of romance and cosmetic measures of the FG to avert the strike action. Even, we have seen during this same Tinubu regime how he has used Court Order to impede the constitutional right of the Congress. Hence, the NLC must be prepared for all these tactics of the FG.

Referring to recent protests in some parts of the country, RSM said it is an indication that “people are ready to hit the streets” and urged labour leaders to fight for wage awards to workers and get state governors to account for the palliatives they received, so as to “lead the people to freedom, emancipation and progress.”

“Similarly, the past few days have recorded protest breakouts in several parts of Nigeria including Niger State, Kano State, Lagos State, and Oyo State, to mention but a few. These are testaments to the fact that people are ready to hit the street. The role of the NLC is to provide the necessary leadership and direction for the people. Even, the protest actions have the potential to grow into larger, interconnected ones without the intervention of the Labour front. Hence, we charge the Trade Union Congress and other affiliate unions to rise to the duty and lead the people to freedom, emancipation and progress.

“The labour leaders should fight for full payment of wage award of N35,000 to all categories of workers both in the publicandprivate sectors. The labour leaders must prepare to lead protracted struggle against the state governors that have received huge sum of palliative but refused to share and even pay workers wage award,” the group said.