The Nigerian Labour Congress has insisted that it will go ahead with its proposed nationwide strike, despite the Trade Union Congress  backing out of the action.

NLC President Joe Ajaero said on Tuesday that the TUC could not back out of a strike without giving notice, and that the NLC could work independently if necessary.

“From what you can see from our last warning strike, you see that we can do it alone,” Ajaero said. “We can work independently; we can work jointly when we agree.“

TUC President Festus Osifo, however, said that its members had not been served any notice to go on strike. He said that the TUC had agreed to give the federal government more time for talks, and that it would meet to review the situation and come up with a joint position with the NLC.

“For us in TUC, we feel that it is always better when we work together, when we synergise because governments all over the world are coming together,” Osifo said. “It will be too bad if we cannot come together. Whichever way we look at it, it is always better to work together.”

The NLC’s 21-day notice to the federal government expires on Thursday. The TUC did not take part in the NLC’s two-day warning strike on September 5 and 6.

The NLC is protesting the removal of fuel subsidies by the federal government, which has led to a sharp increase in the price of petrol. The union is also demanding a review of the national minimum wage.

The federal government has appealed to the NLC to call off the strike, but the union has said that it will only do so if its demands are met.