Organised labour suspends strike by 30 days

The organized labour has suspended the nationwide strike slated to begin on Tuesday by 30 days.

The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) announced the suspension of the strike at the end of their meeting with the Federal Government’s representatives on Monday night in Abuja.

The labour unions had last Tuesday declared an indefinite strike slated to begin on October 3 (tomorrow) to protest the hardship caused by the removal of fuel subsidy by the federal government.

The organs of the two unions in Monday’s meeting briefed the federal government’s team on the outcome of their meetings held earlier in the day.

The unions had on Sunday night promised to present the federal government’s offers to their various organs before taking a final position on the strike.

In Sunday’s meeting, the government resolved to waive the Value Added Tax (VAT) on diesel for six months.

It also promised to fast-track the introduction of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to address the problem of transpiration arising from the removal of fuel subsidy, among other measures.

READ ALSO: Nigerian govt urges labour to embrace dialogue, suspend strike
 
The agreements reached at Monday’s meeting were contained in a three-page Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed Monday by the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, and General Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja; as well as the TUC President, Festus Osifo, and Secretary General, Nuhu Toro.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Dr. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; and Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, signed the document for the federal government.

It read: “The NLC and TUC accept to suspend for 30 days the planned Indefinite Nationwide strike scheduled to begin, Tuesday, the 3rd of October, 2023.

“The Federal Government grants a wage award of N35,000 (thirty-five thousand Naira) only to all Federal Government workers beginning from the month of September pending when a new national minimum wage is expected to have been signed into law.”

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