Osun workers strike: NLC orders three-day action over withheld council funds
By: Abudu Olalekan
Workers across Osun State have been directed to begin a three-day sympathy strike at midnight on Sunday, November 8, 2026, as organised labour presses for the release of withheld local government allocations.
The Nigeria Labour Congress says the action is in solidarity with members of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, whose hardship over the unresolved funding dispute has become a concern for the wider labour movement.
A seven-day ultimatum has come and gone. The dispute remains unresolved.
In a statement obtained in Osogbo on Sunday, Osun NLC Chairman Christopher Arapasopo and Secretary Victor Amusan said the congress had previously given the Federal Government and the Osun State Government seven days to address the withholding of statutory allocations due to councils.
With no resolution, the congress directed all its affiliate unions in the state to join the strike.
The decision followed an emergency meeting of the NLC’s State Executive Council on Wednesday, October 28, 2026. According to the statement, the congress had exhausted all reasonable avenues before calling for industrial action.
“The strike shall commence at midnight on Sunday, 8th November, 2026, last for three (3) days, and conclude at midnight on Wednesday, 11th November, 2026,” the statement read.
Affiliate unions were told to notify their members in writing immediately and ensure full compliance across workplaces.
The congress also warned that any union deliberately undermining the strike would face disciplinary action under its rules.
For the NLC, the dispute goes beyond local government workers. It said the hardship facing NULGE members demanded a united response from organised labour.
“All unions are enjoined to demonstrate maximum solidarity, unity and commitment to the collective struggle for the protection of workers’ rights and welfare. We must emphasise that an injury to one is an injury to all,” the statement added.
The congress said its response must reflect a shared commitment to workers’ dignity, welfare and economic security.
The strike comes against the backdrop of a bitter dispute between the Osun State Government and the All Progressives Congress over control of local councils. That struggle has persisted since February 2025.
Violence linked to the contest for control broke out at several council secretariats. Police confirmed six deaths, including Remi Abbas, the then APC-elected chairman of Irewole Local Government Area.
Olalekan A. Abudu is a seasoned and dedicated News Journalist at REPORTERS ROOM, with over eight years of experience. He specializes in politics, climate change, health, and education, while also covering security, economic, and judicial issues. Committed to accuracy and balanced reporting, Olalekan exemplifies the principles of public-interest journalism.