By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
The Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) has advised the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Union (NLC) not to betray the masses on its planned January 27 and February 1st nationwide strike to protest removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government.
In a statement signed by DSM Organising Secretary, Comrade Peluola Adewale, it stated that the NLC leadership ” will have to do a lot more to prove to Nigerian workers and masses that they actually mean to fight this time around.”
DSM maintained that ” words will not be enough, the actions of the leadership in ensuring that the January 27 protest rallies and the 1st February 2022 go ahead as planned without arbitrary and undemocratic suspension of action will be crucial in showing that the labour leadership is not again on a journey of betrayal.”
” Given its history of betrayal, the labour leadership will have to do a lot more to prove to Nigerian workers and masses that they actually mean to fight this time around. Words will not be enough, the actions of the leadership in ensuring that the January 27 protest rallies and the 1st February 2022 go ahead as planned without arbitrary and undemocratic suspension of action will be crucial in showing that the labour leadership is not again on a journey of betrayal”, it said
DSM added, ” this is why the DSM is using this opportunity to urge the leadership of the NLC not to again take workers and the masses for granted by calling for actions it does not mean to see through to victory. We demand that since it is the NEC of the NLC that has agreed to call action on January 27 and 1st February, it is this organ at a properly convened meeting that should also have the power to decide when actions should be suspended after democratic discussions and careful consideration of all facts.”
” Therefore, we reject the usual but undemocratic practice whereby a few National Administrative Council (NAC) members suspend actions called by the authority of NEC as soon as any concession is offered by government It is this undemocratic practice that was used to derail the general strike last year as well as several actions before now”,
DSM noted ” nonetheless, we don’t have any illusion that present NEC itself cannot also suspend the strike or an action without achieving its objective. At the same time, we call for immediate preparations for the January 27 and February 1st action to commence through the convening of public meetings at state council levels as well as formation of action committees in workplaces and communities to comprise labour leaders, activists, Socialists, youth and civil society members.”
According to the movement ” these action committees should be tasked to organize and mobilize for the actions of January 27 and 1st February 2022 in collaboration with the respective state councils of the NLC and TUC”.
” They should also serve as important assemblies for discussing tactics and strategies on how best to conduct the struggle including the need to name a date for a warning 48-hour general strike”.
