Strikes are the most effective weapon to improve our wages and conditions. The point of strike action is to achieve victory, not just for talks with the bosses. We know that governments rarely implement their promises. So why are strikes suspended before our demands are actually implemented? We cannot buy food from the market with promises. Our demands must actually be achieved before we go back to work. We have to change our trade union strategies.
Two recent disputes dramatically demonstrate the scale of the problem. These strikes clearly deserved to win, but they have yet to result in a conclusive victory. The strikes were unfortunately suspended several times. Robust and resolute action, with expansion of the scope of the strikes, as necessary, could have achieved important victories.
First the electricians’ dispute with the privatized electricity distribution company in Kaduna. The specific demands had been made for over a year, but strike action is yet again only being threatened as we go to press.
Similarly in Abuja, the area council workers and primary teachers have again suspended their action. This resolves around the minimum wage that became law last July.
In each case the specific demands are common to many other groups of workers who could easily be called on to extend the strikes and so achieve a rapid and conclusive victory.
There is no real reason why strikes need to be called off to hold negotiations. The judiciary workers union, JUSUN, for example, has a tradition of continuing strikes until payment is actually received, even after agreements have been signed.
Most recently, JUSUN workers in Abia State struck from the 2nd of January, 2025. This was over the State’s failure to implement the Memorandum of Understanding with JUSUN. Despite a formal signed agreement with the State Government, the union correctly waited to receive the promised funds in their bank account before suspending their latest strike.
Calling off strike action before agreements are even signed, or before clear implementation of our demands, can be a sign of weakness. Negotiations have to be from our strongest possible position. The current practice of calling off strikes for negotiations or agreements that are not implemented has to change.
We need a consistent argument that strikes win results. To achieve implementation of our demands we have to continue strike action until this is achieved. We need to organise in our different unions to ensure that this change of strategy is consistently adopted.
For more details on this issue, read the following article: https://tinyurl.com/SocialistBulletin1
Download our full Socialist Bulletin for March 2025 with the link below:
https://socialistlabour.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Socialist-Bulletin-52-March-2025.pdf
