Nigerian Banks, Insurance Firms to Join NLC’s Two-day Strike Amid Economic Hardships

The National Union of Banks, Insurance, and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE) has vowed to support the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) during their anticipated two-day strike.

NLC called for this nationwide strike in protest of rising gas prices, electricity costs, and what it perceived to be government negligence. The scheduled start date for this strike is Tuesday, September 5, 2023.

General Secretary of NUBIFIE, Mohammed Sheikh, has instructed all members to hold back from working during this period. Therefore, personnel of Nigerian banks such as GTB, Zenith Bank, Access Bank, and insurance companies are required to take part.

The union’s decision coincides with the NLC’s demand to suspend services for two days, as stated in the August 31, 2023, communique.

NUBIFIE statement emphasizes the need to bring the government’s attention to their economic difficulties and concerns regarding government interference in union affairs.

The current economic difficulties are also having an impact on their members in the banking and insurance industries, according to Abakpa Anthony, president of NUBIFIE.

“In line with the communique issued after the meeting of National Executive Council (NEC) of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) held on Thursday 31 August 2023 that all affiliates should direct all its members to commence two days’ withdrawal of services from Tuesday September 5 and Wednesday September 6, 2023,” the statement, dated September 2, 2023, reads.

“The directive is imperative to get the needed attention of the government and warn it of its new found love of meddling in the internal affairs of unions rather than address the punishing economic circumstances we find ourselves in.

“We hereby direct all our organs to comply with this directive by ensuring all our members stay off duty for the two days.

Unless the federal government intervenes, he claimed that the directive to participate in the strike remains in effect.

“You know we are also part of the suffering, hence the reason why we must join the NLC in the strike, “Anthony told TheCable.

“The directive stands unless the federal government says otherwise.”