NLC, TUC Strike In Rivers Enters Day 2

Tuesday made it two days since civil servants in
Rivers State started staying away from their
offices in compliance with the two-day warning
strike ordered by the state chapters of Nigeria
Labour Congress, NLC and Trade Union
Congress, TUC, to force the Police to allow
workers of Obio/ Akpor Local Government Area
resume work at the council's secretariat.
The two unions Tuesday deployed their
members to forcibly shut down banks and other
public institutions in the state capital.
Some customers at some banks at Mile One end
of Ikwerre Road in Port Harcourt confronted
some of the members of the trade unions who
had gone to enforce the strike order on the bank
workers. They wondered why private
institutions, such as banks and other related
bodies, would be forced to join the strike
embarked upon by civil servants in the state to
address issues affecting a local government. It
took prolonged explanations from members of
the unions to calm some of the customers, who
were becoming aggressive.
The banks finally complied with the strike order.
It will be recalled that the trade unions
threatened a two-day warning strike to press
home their demand for the Police to vacate
Obio/Akpor council secretariat for workers to
resume.
State Chairman of NLC, Mr. Chris Oruge, had
told newsmen that all they wanted was for the
security operatives to allow workers resume at
their duty posts.
He said it was disturbing that because of Police
presence at the secretariat, staff of the council
had not been paid two months salaries, a
situation he said was very unhealthy.