NIGERIAN LABOUR CONGRESS SUSPENDS STRIKE
It is recalled that, the organised labour had threatened to commence nationwide strike on November 6 should government fail to accede to its N30,000 minimum wage demand. The federal government had offered to pay N24,000 while some state governments are even offering less.
The National President of the Labour while briefing journalists on Monday night, said, “The tripartite negotiating committee this evening concluded its assignment. Agreement has been reached and also documents have been signed. The report will be submitted to Mr. President tomorrow by 4:15pm.
“Therefore, as organised labour, we want to use this medium to thank all the tripartite partners for their understanding and importantly for concluding this very national assignment. And having reached this position, and also the fact that the assignment has been concluded, organised labour also decided that the proposed industrial action is hereby suspended’.
“Therefore, we thought this should be communicated appropriately without also any delusion or missing information. As the chairperson have said, mutual agreements have been reached and this will be make public tomorrow(Tuesday) and we must appreciate the roles that organised private sectors have actually demonstrated and the attitude brought to this process and to members of the tripartite negotiating team.”
Penpushing also reports that,the Chairperson, Tripartite Committee, Amma Pepple, while corroborating Wabba’s claim, said her committee had reached a truce and concluded its assignment.
Her words,“We are going to present our report to Mr President tomorrow at 4:15pm and he will reveal the figure that we have recommended,”.
Reacting to the development, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, commended members of the committee for their time and commitment to the long and tortuous negotiation processes.
“I am confident that government will give expeditious consideration of the report tomorrow by Mr President and very soon the processes will be put in place to truly actualise your recommendations so that the status of our working populace will be enhanced and they would receive appropriate and commensurate payments for the services they offer to our nation and to the different sectors of our economy,” he said.
Penpushing recalled that government and labour had been at loggerheads over the demand for a new minimum wage. Labour says the minimum wage of N18,000 is paltry and no longer acceptable.
