The Organized Labor has strongly condemned the Federal Government’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, warning that it may embark on a nationwide industrial action if the decision is not reversed within a reasonable timeframe.

The unions argue that the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and members of the state’s House of Assembly is unconstitutional and detrimental to both democracy and economic stability. The warning was contained in a joint statement by the Rivers State Chairpersons of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Alex Agwanwor; Trade Union Congress (TUC), Ikechukwu Onyefuru; and Joint Negotiation Council (JNC), Chuku Emecheta.

However, the statement, which was intended as a threat to the federal government, has been met with skepticism and ridicule by many Nigerians who believe labor unions have lost their influence and credibility.

Labor leaders insist that the state of emergency is baseless and politically motivated, arguing that it undermines the will of Rivers residents who freely elected the suspended officials. They stress that any attempt to remove elected leaders outside constitutional processes erodes democratic principles.

“The people of Rivers State exercised their democratic right in electing their leaders, and any attempt to remove them through unconstitutional means is an attack on democracy,” the statement read.

Beyond concerns about democratic integrity, the unions warn that the decision has immediate economic consequences for workers and businesses in the state.

Labor leaders highlight that local government workers in Rivers have already begun feeling the effects of the state of emergency, with many reporting delays in salary payments. The statement decried the suffering this has caused workers, especially in the face of rising inflation and high living costs.

“Withholding salaries in the middle of an economic crisis is not just unfair but also inhumane. Many families depend on these wages for survival, and any disruption will only increase hardship,” the statement continued.

Furthermore, they warn that the political turmoil has created uncertainty that is scaring away investors, jeopardizing the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR). Given Rivers State’s strategic importance to Nigeria’s economy—particularly as a major oil-producing region—such instability could have ripple effects on national economic performance.

Organized Labor argues that disrupting activities in Rivers State could have severe economic consequences, especially with Nigeria already struggling with record inflation, naira depreciation, high unemployment, and a worsening cost-of-living crisis.

They emphasize that the instability risks escalating tensions across the Niger Delta, a region that has historically experienced volatility due to economic and political grievances. Any unrest could disrupt oil production, which remains the backbone of Nigeria’s economy.

“At a time when the country is battling economic hardship, ill-advised political decisions should not be allowed to create further instability. Rivers State is crucial to Nigeria’s revenue, and anything that threatens its stability will have national implications,” the union leaders said.

Public Reaction: “Labor Has Been Sold Off”

Despite the strong stance taken by Organized Labor, many Nigerians have laughed off the threat of a nationwide disruption, dismissing it as yet another move that will yield no positive result.

On social media, several Nigerians expressed disbelief that the unions could force the government to reverse its decision, given their history of calling off industrial actions without achieving their objectives.

“All bark and no bite. Sometimes, I feel Labour is a part of the larger Nigerian conspiracy. They come in when people dey vex (are angry), calm people down like they have something sincere to do. Everybody calms down, and business continues,” a social media commenter, Morola Oyedele, wrote.

Others pointed out that in the past, the NLC and TUC had threatened mass action over the removal of fuel subsidies, only to back down after meetings with government officials. Similarly, in the battle for a higher minimum wage, labor unions embarked on strikes that ended without tangible improvements for Nigerian workers.

In 2023, for instance, the NLC and TUC declared a nationwide strike after President Bola Tinubu removed the fuel subsidy, leading to a sharp increase in petrol prices. However, the strike was abruptly called off after a few meetings, leaving many Nigerians to deal with the hardship that followed.

Similarly, labor unions had, for years, pushed for an increase in the minimum wage, which currently stands at N30,000 ($20) in many states. In 2024, following days of strike, labor unions and the government reached an agreement on minimum wage. However, several months after, many state governments are yet to implement the agreed N70,000 ($45) per month wage amid the rising cost of living.

Nigerians Lower Expectations from Labor

Given this history, many Nigerians believe the latest threat by Organized Labor is unlikely to materialize. Some see the unions as compromised, often holding protests that do little more than provide a temporary outlet for public frustration before ending in vague promises.

Even those who support the unions’ concerns about the Rivers crisis doubt that a strike will happen, much less force a reversal of the state of emergency.

“Labor in Nigeria is a joke. If Tinubu calls them for a meeting tomorrow, they will cancel everything and tell us they have ‘reached an understanding,’” a user commented on X.

Call for Immediate Reversal and Dialogue

However, Organized Labor maintains that it will not back down. The unions called for meaningful dialogue between the federal government and relevant stakeholders, urging the government to prioritize citizens’ welfare over political maneuvers.

While encouraging workers in Rivers State to remain calm, Organized Labor warned that failure to reverse the emergency declaration within a reasonable timeframe could force them to take decisive action that would disrupt economic activities across Nigeria.

“If our demands are not met, we will be left with no choice but to take strategic union actions that could significantly affect national economic activities,” they stated.

Financial services company Block, co-founded by Jack Dorsey, has laid off 931 employees—roughly 8% of its global workforce—as part of a restructuring effort. The layoffs were announced in an internal email from Dorsey on Tuesday, according to a leaked message seen by TechCrunch.

The move marks the latest round of cuts at Block, which owns Cash App and Square, and comes just months after the company laid off about 1,000 employees in January 2024. While companies across the tech and fintech sectors have been making deep job cuts amid economic uncertainty,

Dorsey insisted in his email that these layoffs were not financially driven or related to artificial intelligence replacing human workers. Instead, he described the move as part of a strategic shift aimed at improving performance and flattening the company’s hierarchy.

Breakdown of the Layoffs

Dorsey explained that the layoffs fell into three broad categories. The first category includes 391 employees whose roles were cut due to “strategy” reasons. These job eliminations reflect shifting business priorities at Block, though Dorsey did not specify which areas were most affected.

The largest portion—460 employees—were laid off due to performance-related reasons. According to Dorsey, these employees either received a “below” rating on the company’s internal performance tracking system or were trending toward a lower rating.

The third group consists of 80 managers whose roles were eliminated as part of an effort to streamline Block’s corporate structure. An additional 193 managers have been reassigned from management roles to individual contributor positions. Dorsey’s goal is to flatten Block’s hierarchy to an “innercore+4” model, meaning he will have four levels of direct reports beyond his immediate leadership team.

In addition to the layoffs, Block is also eliminating 748 open job positions across the company, except for roles that are in the offer stage, key leadership positions, and critical operational jobs.

A Broader Trend of Restructuring in Fintech

The job cuts at Block are part of a broader trend across the fintech industry, where companies have been forced to make tough decisions amid tightening economic conditions and slowing growth. Tech giants and startups alike have been reevaluating their business models, trimming their workforce, and focusing on operational efficiency.

Block, which provides mobile payment services to consumers and point-of-sale solutions for businesses, has been navigating the evolving landscape of digital finance. While the company has grown rapidly in recent years, concerns over profitability and operational efficiency have pushed leadership to take aggressive restructuring measures.

Dorsey’s latest round of layoffs signals a continued shift in Block’s approach, prioritizing a leaner workforce while maintaining its focus on innovation. However, the repeated rounds of job cuts raise questions about the company’s long-term growth strategy and whether it can sustain its position as a fintech big shot without sacrificing workforce morale.

Below is the entire email Dorsey sent to Block employees on Tuesday, as reported by TechCrunch.

hi all.

today we’ll be making some org changes, including eliminating roles and beginning the consultation process in countries where required. i want to give you all the straight facts.

as I said at the last Block, there are three areas we’d like to address:

strategy: reducing from teams that are off strategy, and fixing our discipline ratios.

performance: parting ways with people with a “below” or trending towards “below.”

hierarchy: driving to flattening our org to a max depth of innercore+4

what that translates to in actual numbers of people.

• strategy: 391 people
• performance: 460 people
• hierarchy: 80 managers (with 193 moving it individual contributor roles)

we’re also closing all the 748 roles we had open with the exception of:

• roles progressed to offer stage.
• critical operational roles
• start/accelerate roles
• key leadership roles

none of the above points are trying to hit a specific financial target, replacing folks with AI, or changing our headcount cap. they are specific to our needs around strategy, raising the bar and acting faster on performance, and flattening our org so we can move faster and with less abstraction.

why do this all at once instead of over time? we’re behind in our actions, and that’s not fair to the individuals who work here or the company. when we know, we should move, and there hasn’t been enough movement. we need to move to help us meet and stay ahead of the transformational moment our industry is in.

this is the toughest part of my job, and I fight hard against any of these considerations. we must have a very high bar of correctness for us to take any action, which takes iteration and time to get right. i always balance this with the fact that everyone here, and those that are departing, has equity in our company. it’s my job to increase that value. we believe this will help us focus and execute better to do just that.

we’re working to give clarity to everyone as quickly, with as much context and support, as possible. you’ll receive an email soon about what this means for you. if there are areas where you think we could do better, please send me a note. direct feedback makes us better, and I always act when it makes sense.

thank you to all those leaving us. i am grateful and appreciative for you and your work, which has built us up to this point. we will continue to honor that by increasing our value to our customers, and therefore to all of our shareholders, including you.

thank you,

jack