LASCO PRESS BRIEFING ON THE NATIONWIDE ACTION PLAN FOR THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE INDEFINITE STRIKE/MASS ACTION COMMENCING MONDAY, JANUARY 9TH 2012

Comrades in the media, we call this urgent media briefing to unfold the ACTION PLAN for the nationwide indefinite Strike/Mass Action commencing on Monday, January 9^th 2012.

The declaration of the indefinite strike/mass action has become necessary in view of the current hike in the prices of petroleum products, especially the PMS from N65 to N141, which the Jonathan presidency has said ‘there is no going back’, and the Nigerian people are also insisting their WILL not to more than N65 for a litre of petrol MUST PREVAIL.

The position of the Labour and Civil Society Coalition (LASCO) – the broad platform of NLC, TUC and JAF is UNCONDITIONAL REVERSAL of the wicked hike in petrol to the official price of N65 per litre as enjoyed by Nigerians throughout the country since June 24^th 2007, following the struggle of June 20 – 24^th 2007 under LASCO that reverted fuel prices then from N75 for petrol to N65, diesel to N70 and kerosene to N50; and VAT from 10% to 5%.

The ACTION PLAN is as follows:

1.   MONDAY, January 9^th –

·         ENFORCEMENT OF STRIKE WITH MASS ACTION IN WORKPLACES, MARKETS, SCHOOLS, NEIGHBOURHOODS AND MAJOR AND LINK ROADS.

·         STREET PROTEST/PROCESSION FROM 8AM. (IN LAGOS, the STREET PROTEST STARTS AT 8AM ATHE NIGERIA LABOUR CONGRESS, YABA).

·         OCCUPATION OF FOCAL POINT IN ALL CENTRES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. (IN LAGOS, GANI FAWEHINMI PARK, OJOTA-LAGOS IS THE FOCAL POINT)

2.   TUESDAY, January 10^th –

·         ENFORCEMENT OF STRIKE WITH MASS ACTION IN WORKPLACES, MARKETS, SCHOOLS, NEIGHBOURHOODS AND MAJOR AND LINK ROADS.

·         COMMUNITY SENSITISATION AND RALLIES

·         ENFORCEMENT AND MONITORING FOR COMPLIANCE THAT WORKPLACES, SCHOOLS, BANKS, MARKETS, BUSSINESSES, MAJOR AND LINK ROADS ARE SHUT

3.   WEDNESDAY, January 11^th –

·         ENFORCEMENT OF STRIKE WITH MASS ACTION IN WORKPLACES, MARKETS, SCHOOLS, NEIGHBOURHOODS AND MAJOR AND LINK ROADS.

·         STREET PROTEST/PROCESSION FROM 8AM. (IN LAGOS, the STREET PROTEST STARTS AT 8AM ATHE NIGERIA LABOUR CONGRESS, YABA).

4.   THURSDAY, January 12^th

·         ENFORCEMENT OF STRIKE WITH MASS ACTION IN WORKPLACES, MARKETS, SCHOOLS, NEIGHBOURHOODS AND MAJOR AND LINK ROADS.

·         COMMUNITY SENSITISATION AND RALLIES

·         ENFORCEMENT AND MONITORING FOR COMPLIANCE THAT WORKPLACES, SCHOOLS, BANKS, MARKETS, BUSSINESSES, MAJOR AND LINK ROADS ARE SHUT

5.   FRIDAY, January 13^th

·         ENFORCEMENT OF STRIKE WITH MASS ACTION IN WORKPLACES, MARKETS, SCHOOLS, NEIGHBOURHOODS AND MAJOR AND LINK ROADS.

·         COMMUNITY SENSITISATION AND RALLIES

·         ENFORCEMENT AND MONITORING FOR COMPLIANCE THAT WORKPLACES, SCHOOLS, BANKS, MARKETS, BUSSINESSES, MAJOR AND LINK ROADS ARE SHUT

COORDINATION OF THE STRIKE

1.    For Lagos: NLC YABA is the CENTRAL COORDINATION CENTRE, while the 4 other centres are:

·         TUC Secretariat @ Ikorodu Road, Maryland

·         Agric and Allied Workers Employees @ Alaguntan, Iyana Ipaja

·         Textile Union Secretariat, Acme Road, Ogba-Ikeja

·         Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo.

We appeal to the security agencies to exercise restraint and avoid unnecessary provocation of the PEACEFUL PROTEST MARCH of Nigerians across the country are set to undertake to express their rejection and defeat of the wicked fuel prices.

Aluta Continua

Comrade ABIODUN AREMU

Joint-Secretary, Labour and Civil Society Coalition (LASCO

For and on behalf of President NLC, President-General TUC and Chairperson JAF

January 7^th 2012.