LEADERSHIP
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday explained that it suspended its scheduled strike because recognised the willingness of the federal government for continuous engagement and to offer reasonable palliatives in due course to cushion the effect of the removal of subsidy on petrol.
The Congress said it also considered the mood of the socio-polity in the last elections and the need to pursue national stability before deciding to shelve its planned nationwide strike over fuel subsidy removal.
The labour centre, in a communique issued at the end of an emergency National Executive Council (NEC), signed by the national president, Comrade Joe Ajaero, and the general secretary, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, said it also took into account the court injunction restraining the congress from proceeding with the proposed nationwide strike.
It further stated that even though it accepted the ruling of National Industrial Court (NIC), it disapproved of the ‘continuous weaponisation of the instrument of Exparte injunction’ by the court in favour of the government against the interests of Nigerian workers.
The labour centre described the ruling as flawed and called on the federal government to comply with the laws of the land, especially as it concerns obedience to the rulings of the courts and its brazen disregard to the 2023 Appropriation Act.
Part of the communique reads, “To, therefore, support and accept the decision of the leadership of Congress to suspend the proposed strike in compliance with the flawed rulings of the NIC and also allow negotiations to flow freely and enable final agreement during or after the 19th June, 2023 negotiation round with the federal government, all affiliates and state councils of Congress are hereby directed to suspend further action and mobilisation until the outcome of the final negotiations.”
Among the resolutions agreed between the federal government delegation led by the chief of staff to the president, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC) include a proposal for wage increase and review of the $800 million World Bank financed cash transfer scheme and proposed inclusion of low-income earners in the programme.
Also, the proposal includes the implementation of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion programme earlier agreed with labour centres in 2021 which would reduce vehicles dependence on fuel and save the federal government billions of naira.
In a related development, the House of Representatives has commended the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for shelving its earlier planned strike and accepting to continue to dialogue with the federal government over the removal of fuel subsidy.
