…Federal Government to set up a minimum wage committee within one month from the date of this agreement
TUE, OCT 03 2023-theGBJournal |The Leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have suspended for 30 days the planned indefinite nationwide strike scheduled to begin today, the 3rd of October, 2023, the Federal Government (FG) announced Tuesday after hours-long meeting with the labour leaders in Abuja, Nigeria.
A source familiar with the deliberations at the meeting told theGBJournal that the labour leaders agreed to suspend the planned strike action for only 30 days because they are still suspicious of FG’s commitment to full implementation of the proposal presented Monday.
”The government has made promises to the people in the past but always failed to keep them. We want to see that commitment with their actions this time as regards the promises outlined on Monday. If they foot-drag this time, we will go all out with our strike. That is why we want watch them within this 30 days window before we take action,” the source said.
One of the major outcome of the latest meeting is the agreement by the Federal Government to set up a minimum wage committee within one month from the date of this agreement.
Besides that, the FG and the labour leaders agreed on 15 point palliative measures earlier outlined by the Federal Government, including;
-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.
-Suspension of collection of Value Added Tax (VAT) on Diesel for six months beginning from October, 2023.
-Acceptance by the FG 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.
-Plans to implement various tax incentive measures for private sector and the general public.
-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.
-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.
-The Federal Government commits to pay N25,000 per month for three months starting from October, 2023 to 15 million households, including vulnerable pensioners.
-The Federal Government will increase its initiatives on subsidized distribution of fertilizers to farmers across the country.
-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.
-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.
-A joint visitation will be made 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.
-The NLC and TUC accept to suspend for 30 days the planned Indefinite Nationwide strike scheduled to begin, Tuesday, the 3rd of October, 2023.
-This Memorandum shall be filed with the relevant Court of competent jurisdiction within one (1) week as consent judgment by the Federal Government.
Simon Bako Lalong, Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of State for Labour and Employment and Mallam Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation represented and signed the agreement on behalf pf the the Federal Government at the meeting.
Comrade Joe Ajaero, President NLC, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, General Secretary, TUC, Comrade Festus Osifo, President TUC as well as Comrade Nuhu A. Toro, Secretary General signed on behalf of the Organised Labour at the meeting.
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