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The Imo State chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has dissociated its members from the plan of the President of the NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, to occupy Imo State from today (Wednesday).
Addressing reporters in Owerri after a meeting with other Labour leaders in the state, the state Acting Chairman of NLC, Rev. Philip Nwansi, said organised Labour in Imo would not be part of the planned action because of a subsisting court order stopping the NLC from embarking on any such action.
The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Imo State chapter, took time to caution the Ajaero-led NLC against any strike in the state, saying ‘Occupy Imo is politically-motivated.’
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The Eastern Updates recalls that the Industrial Court sitting in Owerri on October 27 granted an order restraining the NLC from embarking on any industrial action in Imo State.
The NLC chairman said based on the court order, the planned strike code- named: ‘Occupy Imo’ had become illegal.
‘All the affiliate unions, we are obeying the court order and we urge Imo workers to be at their duty posts tomorrow as law- abiding citizens,’ Nwansi said.
He said besides the court order, the organised Labour in Imo State did not see any reason the national body should order a strike.
‘Imo State workers say no to ‘Occupy Imo’ because we have not found reasons enough for the action,’ he said.
Nwansi questioned why the national body should grieve more than the bereaved, pointing out that Labour in Imo State had been in agreement with the state government.
Workers should carry out their responsibilities, he said, as there was no labour dispute between the Labour Party and the state government and the planned walkout had been ruled unlawful by the court.
Because of the detrimental effects that invading Imo State under the pretext of a strike would have on the populace, the CAN Imo State chapter urged the NLC leadership to drop the notion.
It said it was unthinkable for Labour leaders to contemplate strike in Imo or any other part of the country now because of what the people are passing through.
