….a joint visitation to the refineries to ascertain their rehabilitation status.
The threat and tension raised by organized labour unions in the country was on Monday night doused as they signed a memorandum of Understanding MOU with the Federal Government thereby putting an end to a planned strike by the unions.
Consequently, the planned strike has been suspended for another 30 days within which the Federal Government promised to address many of the issues raised by the unions
Reading the 13-point communique issued at the end of the meeting held at the State House, Abuja with the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, and his TUC counterpart as well as some ministers in attendance, Minister of Labour, Hon Simon Lalong, said both the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress had agreed to suspend for 30 days their planned indefinite strike earlier slated to begin on Tuesday.
The Federal Government also plans to implement various tax incentive measures for the private sector and the general public. While It also upheld its earlier approval of a wage award of N35,000 only to all Federal Government workers beginning in September pending when a new national minimum wage is expected to have been signed into law.
However, it urged state governments through the National Economic Council and Nigerian Governors’ Forum to implement wage awards for their workers.
“Similar consideration should also be given to local governments and private sector workers,” the memorandum read.
On the leadership crisis rocking the National Union of Road Transport Workers and the purported proscription of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, the Federal Government committed to handling labour matters in line with relevant International Labour Organisation Conventions and Nigerian Labour Acts, adding that a resolution of the ongoing impasse is expected by or before October 13.
According to The Punch, the issue of outstanding salaries and wages of tertiary education workers in Federal Government-owned educational institutions is being referred to the Ministry of Labour and Employment for further engagement while the Federal Government promised to increase its initiatives on subsidised distribution of fertilisers to farmers across the country.
The Minister of Labour and Productivity also noted that the FG vowed to take a joint visitation to the refineries to ascertain their rehabilitation status.
“All parties commit to henceforth abide by the dictates of social dialogue in all our future engagements,” he said.
Signatories to the MoU include the NLC president, Joe Ajaero; President of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, Festus Osifo; TUC’s Secretary-General, Nuhu Toro.
On the FG’s side, the signatories include the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong; Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha and the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.
Meanwhile, reacting to the development, Ajaero threatened to revisit the strike option if the agreements were not implemented.
Asked if the agreements applied to the states, he said the fuel subsidy removal that informed Labour’s action affects all Nigerians, including those in the states and the private sector.
applied to the states, he said the fuel subsidy removal that informed Labour’s action affects all Nigerians, including those in the states and the private sector.
