The founder of One Love Family and Living Perfect Master, Satguru Maharaj Ji, has warned the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) against embarking on an indefinite strike from Monday, June 3, 2024, in protest against the government’s refusal to raise the proposed minimum wage form N60, 000 as it is unacceptable.
Maharaj Ji issued the warning on Sunday through a statement by the Minister of Information, One Love Family, Ojo Mogbadewa, saying any industrial action embarked upon by the union with respect to to the proposed minimum wage is unacceptable.
He said: “As critical stakeholders in the Nigeria project, we are compelled to react to the strike by the NLC. This is not only unnecessary; it is wicked and not in the best interest of the nation.
Describing the NLC leaders as greedy, prejudiced, and evil, Maharaj Ji said they are funded by the opposition to cause chaos.
“The NLC has lost its way. I am not surprised though. Its leadership displayed its partisan nature by endorsing a particular presidential candidate in the last elections.
“It is common knowledge that strike is the last resort after a failed series of negotiations. However, the Federal Government has shown a willingness to dialogue. The President has also made certain efforts to cushion the sufferings of Nigerians.
“I, therefore, is convinced that the NLC is conniving with the opposition to wreak havoc on the economy and intentionally create tension in the nation. This is the sad reality.
“I wish to use this medium to call on well-meaning Nigerians to support the Federal Government and shun acts capable of leading to anarchy. I am by this notice, urging security agents, to be on alert for the next phase of the planned anti-Nigeria strike.
“It is of note that NLC’s insistence on the strike is despite the federal government’s engagement with its leadership to explore options for addressing its demands. This raised our suspicion that the union may not be upfront with Nigerians as to the true intent of its industrial action.
“This decision by the NLC and TUC, other than being an ego-tripping move, is unwarranted. It is an attempt to blackmail the government by the leadership of the NLC.
“We are yet to recover from the unwarranted mischievous fever of the Emifiele currency design racket in which hundreds got injured and died and yet our leaders have not learnt a lesson from this bastardized act of treason and incorrigible act of barbarism.
“We are still at a loss as to why the NLC and TUC decided to punish a whole country of over 200 million people over a personal matter involving the NLC President, Mr. Joe Ajaero, whose error of judgment led to an assault on him in Owerri while he was planning to incite the workers in Imo State into a needless strike.
“We reiterate that this strike action is illegal, immoral, unjustifiable, and irresponsible,” and therefore the full weight of the law will be brought to bear on anybody who thinks he is bigger than Nigeria, the people of Nigerian and the Constitution of Nigeria. the statement reads.
“According to Him, the leadership of the two Union have trivialized strike as a tool that nobody takes the Union seriously again and all this could be traced to their involvement in the 2023 general elections.
Maharaj Ji, observed that the two Unions in recent times have demystified themselves and the potency of the strike.
“So, you mean workers in Lagos or Kwara State would go on strike because of what happened to Osun? You people mean employers who have no trade dispute with their workers would shut down in this struggling economy and you expect them to pay the workers?”
“ When you abuse the power of the strike, it loses its potency. I think the NLC must be joking at this point.”
” What is the total population of the NLC compared to our Nation’s population? The union has continued to use strikes as a tool to manipulate others (the vast majority of us) on what can be described as a selfish agenda.”
“I advise the union to look outside the box and set up a think-tank on how best to push home their demands, strike is not the best option and cannot be accepted due to the involvement of the union in partisan politics.” He said.
“If the labour wants to be a party, they should tell Nigerians, they should not use the authority of the workers to cause trouble because the way it is now, the government is offering N60, 000, the best thing is to receive it and continue to negotiate. We don’t want any stampede. There are some workers who earn their money everyday on the road, in the offices here and there. Any kind of stampede now will, lead to chaos especially when the government that has come in is not a government that has been on.
“60 years of mismanagement can not be cleared overnight. Though, it’s APC government that’s in power but the personality are different. We are not against fighting for the workers; we are not against standing up for the workers but we don’t want any chaos.
“The aim is for NLC to paint the one year old baby Asiwaju government black and cause a destabilization plot that will bring the government down. This is unacceptable.
Accordingly, One Love Family expressed displeasure that the nation’s economy and social activities should not suffer because of the personal interests of any labour leader.
“The current economic situation of our Nation cannot encourage or tolerate strikes based on the fact that people are passing through a serious economic crisis and this economic crisis is recurring due to bad leadership.
“It’s on record that our people are finding it difficult to survive, and since previous strikes declared by the Union did not bring food or employment to their tables, but rather added to our Nation’s economic woes, the larger populace will never join such selfish and devilish strike, it’s outright madness to call for a national strike over salary increament, the same NLC never called for a national strike on the spate of insecurity, corruption, and bad leadership, indeed they have lost it.”
He cautioned against declaring a strike in the middle of ongoing negotiations, saying it would not only compound the economic woes but also exacerbate the suffering of millions of Nigerians who are already struggling to eke out a living from their daily endeavours.
However, on a conciliatory note, Maharaj Ji urged the unions to reconsider their decision and continue engaging in constructive dialogue to find a solution that benefits all, adding that organised labour should continue to respect the principles of social dialogue.
Maharaj Ji said any strike at the moment would disproportionately harm the most vulnerable segments of the society.
The Living Perfect Master also sounded a note of warning that any new minimum wage must not lead to widespread job losses, particularly in the Organised Private Sector, which employs the bulk of the nation’s workforce.
He expressed disappointment that organised labour abruptly exited the negotiations on Friday, despite the government’s flexibility in rescheduling the meeting from Monday to Friday, May 31, to accelerate the talks.
This goes a long way to show the lack of patriotism and nationalism on the path of the leaders who do not have the feeling of the ordinary man on the street.
This is not the time to act as neocolonialists to destabilize the Nation as we work hand in hand to economic and social freedom.
It appears that Labour leaders we have today needs to go on the road to see what’s really happening in order to stop dishing out counter productive measures that could lead them to prison one day just because they lack Divine Knowledge that will give them the power to resist the forces of darkness preying on them from Europe and Americas who want to see Nigeria in flames, No way.
So to be forewarned is to be forearmed, don’t strike, this is the time for the poor man to have 3 square meals a day. So commot for road ooo labour men, Africa is awake
