The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have jointly suspended the indefinite strike that was scheduled to commence on Tuesday, October 3, 2023.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the decision to suspend the industrial action for 30 days was reached at the end of an emergency meeting between the labour unions and the federal government.
Recall that the NLC had directed its affiliate member unions across the country to mobilise and shut down the country following the refusal of the government to adhere to the seven-point demand made by the NLC and the TUC to ameliorate the suffering of the teeming Nigerian workers and the impoverished masses of the country.
However, after a lengthy meeting with the government, the labour unions agreed to suspend the strike to give the government ample time to implement their demands.
Consequently, the National Executive Council (NEC) of the NLC directed all its affiliate members to further direct their members to return to work on Tuesday, October 3, 2023.
reached:
1. 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.
2. A minimum wage committee shall be inaugurated within one month from the date of this agreement.
3. Federal Government suspends collection of Value Added Tax (VAT) on Diesel for six months beginning from October, 2023.
4. Federal Government accepts to vote N100 billion for the provision of high capacity CNG buses for mass transit in Nigeria. Provisions are also being made for initial 55,000 CNG conversion kits to kick start an auto gas conversion programme, whilst work is ongoing on state-of-the-art CNG stations nationwide. The rollout aims to commence by November with pilots across 10 campuses nationwide.
5. The Federal Government plans to implement various tax incentive measures for private sector and the general public.
6. On the leadership crises rocking the NURTW and the purported proscription of RTEAN, the Federal Government commits to handling Labour matters in line with relevant ILO Conventions and Nigerian Labour Acts. A resolution of the ongoing impasse is expected by or before October 13.
7. The issue of outstanding Salaries and Wages of Tertiary Education workers in Federal-owned educational institutions is being referred to Ministry of Labour and Employment for further engagement.
8. The Federal Government commits to pay N25,000 per month for three months starting from October, 2023 to 15 million households, including vulnerable pensioners.
9. The Federal Government will increase its initiatives on subsidized distribution of fertilizers to farmers across the country.
10. The Federal Government should urge State Government through the National Economic Council and Governors Forum to implement wage award for their workers. Similar consideration should also be given to local government and private sector workers.
11. The Federal Government commits to the provision of funds as announced by the President on the 1st of August broadcast to the Nation for Micro and Small Scale Enterprises. The MSMEs beneficiaries should commit to the principle of decent jobs.
Signed:
NLC:
Comrade Joe Ajaero
Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, mni
President NLC
General Secretary
TUC
Comrade (Engr) Festus Osifo
Comrade Nuhu A. Toro
President
Secretary General
Federal Government:
H.E. Simon Bako Lalong
Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment
Hon. Dr Nkeiruka Onyejeocha
Honourable Minister of State for Labour and Employment
Mallam Mohammed Idris
Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation
