The success of any strike depends on the active involvement of all the members of the trade union. If all members are actively involved in building public support, then they are more likely to gain confidence and the strike is more likely to be successful. But if members remain at home, the collective strength of mass action is lost.
The solidarity shown by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trades Union Congress (TUC) to the JOHESU and FCTA strikes is wonderful. But the key to victory for these strikes will be the extent to which all the trade union members take part in mass rallies, pickets, and other forms of mass action.
The success of a strike depends on effective leadership at all levels, from organic leaders within branches to national leaders. The role of all such leaders is to organise members towards action.
The national leadership of JOHESU issued an important memo on 13th January. This is the key paragraph to the memo:
“In view of the continuation of the strike, the National Leadership directs that, monitoring and picketing should be strengthened across various organs of JOHESU.”
We commend this call. However, JOHESU has been on strike for more than two months, with Federal Medical Centres and national hospitals shut down, yet the government has made no concessions. JOHESU must modify its strategy by taking the struggle directly to the masses. JOHESU, a coalition with hundreds of thousands of members, must ensure that the government does not trifle with an organisation of its strength.
The national leadership of JOHESU should set the tone by organising mass rallies in the FCT. JOHESU can organise 5,000-, 10,000-, and 20,000-member rallies in the FCT. One option is to begin with a rally of 1,000 members at the Federal Ministry of Health, then escalate to 5,000 members at the National Assembly. The goal is to escalate until the government responds.
Effective rallies will require coordinating local and national leaders and activating members from states around the FCT. Regional leaders should act in tandem by organising regional rallies with thousands of members in regional capitals. JOHESU’s member unions have massive financial resources and organising strength. National leadership must make the necessary resources available to ensure the strike is active, robust, and successful.
Such demonstrations of strength will motivate the JOHESU rank-and-file, reminding them they are not alone in this struggle. The ruling elites cannot ignore such demonstrations of strength. They also bring public attention to JOHESU’s fight. Traditional media, internet influencers and the wider public cannot ignore rallies with thousands of members in strategic locations.
Branches at health institutions should be organising regular picketing to ensure that the strike remains effective. This should include regular communications and flyers for potential patients, explaining the reasons for the strike and why their support is important.
Townhall meetings should be organised locally in conjunction with other health trade unions and the NLC/TUC. Officials and members of locally important trade unions should be invited to these meetings. They should be requested to address these meetings to explain the importance of the strike to the members and the public.
JOHESU members at each institution on strike should organise delegations. These delegations should visit other local health institutions, local trade union offices and relevant state offices.
Each health institution that is on strike should organise a joint strike committee, including branch officers and other union members who want to play a more active role. These committees should organise daily activities — from pickets and rallies to social and recreational events — that keep members and their families engaged and together.
Organising in these ways will sustain workers’ confidence, build public support, and make solidarity strike action with strong local organisation by the NLC and TUC more likely. All of this will bring our victory closer!
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