The National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE) has said its members will join the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in its two-day strike action.
A statement signed by the NUBIFIE general secretary, Mohammed Sheikh, dated September 2nd 2023 established this resolve.
All members (bank workers, and staff of insurance and financial institutions) have been directed to stay off duty during the two-day strike.
According to the statement, the 2-day withdrawal of service is “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.”
The strike action commences today Tuesday 5th of September to Wednesday 6th of September 2023.
This means that banks and all traditional banking operations will be shut down on Tuesday 6th and Wednesday 7th of September.
A bank staff confirmed that digital channels will remain accessible during the 48-hour industrial action but the ATMs will be shut down.
The NLC had, earlier, announced plans to embark on a nationwide strike to protest the hike in petrol pump price, electricity tariff, alongside other issues, and accused the federal government of abandoning negotiations.
Asides bank staff, telecom workers, electricity workers, and other essential sectors have also resolved to join the industrial action.
It’s hard to tell how much of the void fintechs can fill in this situation.
48 hours without the traditional banks will definitely take its toll on citizens and commercial activities.