On Tuesday, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has vehemently objected to the bill seeking to outlaw strikes in the health sector.
The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, while briefing newsmen in Abuja observed that the bill negated international and national laws.
Ayuba Wabba noted, “It is laughable, where industrial relations are working optimally, strikes can be avoided and therefore, this is the provision of the law and I am sure that those proposing the bill are not aware of those laws, and those laws are very explicit.”
According to him, the bill was sponsored by a member of the House of Representatives, Simon Chukwuemeka Atigwe (PDP, Enugu), seeking to amend the Trade Disputes Act.
He explained that the bill, which prohibits health workers from embarking on strikes, has scaled first reading in the House.
The NLC President observed that the right of workers to strike constitutes a fundamental right of workers and their organization, especially unions.
He added that in Compilation 751 of the document, it states clearly that the right of workers to strike constitutes a fundamental right of workers and their organisation especially unions and it is used as means of defending the economic and social rights and interests of those workers.
