There are indications that the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) may suspend the planned nationwide strike scheduled to commence on Tuesday following a fruitful meeting with the federal government.
TheHintsNews reports that the labour union had last week declared it readiness to embark on indefinite strike to protest the removal of subsidy on petrol.
Following the declaration, the labour union had been mobilising all affiliates’ bodies to shut down the nation’s economy as part of effort to press home their demands.
At the meeting on Sunday, the labour union agreed to consider offers of the federal government with a view of suspending the planned industrial action.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mallam Mohammed Idris, in a statement issued on Sunday after the meeting said they resolved that the issues in dispute could only be resolved when workers are at work and not when they are on strike.
The minister added that federal government would commence payment of N75,000 to 15 million households at N25,000 per month, for a three-month period from October-December 2023.
President Bola Tinubu has also agreed to increase the provisional wage award for all treasury-paid federal government workers to N35,000 for 6 months.
The meeting resolved: “NLC and TUC will consider the offers by the Federal Government with a view to suspending the planned strike to allow for further consultations on the implementation of the resolutions above.
“Labour Unions argued for higher wage award and the Federal Government Team promised to present Labour’s request to President Bola Tinubu for further consideration.
“A sub-committee to be constituted to work out the details of implementation of all items for consideration regarding government interventions to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal.
“The lingering matter of the Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) and National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Lagos State needs to be addressed urgently and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who participated virtually, pledged to resolve the matter.”