The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has suspended the strike it started Monday.
This followed the meeting with some of its affiliate Unions at the Labour House Tuesday, to fashion out the way forward on the nationwide strike.
BusinessDay gathered that the meeting is sequel to the outcome of the engagements of Labour with the federal government on Monday night.
It was gathered that the labour leaders are holding the meeting to enable them give feedback to their members, ahead of the resumption of the negotiations with the federal government
It was also gathered that the resolution of the consultation meeting will determine the next direction of the labour leaders
When BusinessDay visited the Nicon Luxury hotel , venue of the tripartite Committee meeting, it was discovered that the labour officials were yet to arrive at the venue.
The government officials were however on ground
Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, who arrives the venue at about 1045am, later left at about 11.25am.
The Labour officials are expected to join the federal government team after the meeting, according to Benson Upah, head of the NLC Information team
Recall the the Labour had last night agreed to rejoin the negotiation team, after the federal government had assured that President Bola Tinubu is committed to higher Minimum Wage than N60,000- SGF
George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF disclosed this in a communique signed by both parties after over 4 hours meeting in Abuja, on Monday night.
The communique stated that the ” President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria is committed to a National Minimum Wage that is higher than N60,000;
“Arising from the above, the Tripartite Committee is to meet everyday for the next one week with a view to arriving at an agreeable National Minimum Wage;
“Labour in deference to the high esteem of the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria’s commitment in (ii) above undertakes to convene a meeting of its organs immediately to consider this commitment; and
The meeting also agreed that ” no worker would be victimized as a result of the industrial action”
It will be recalled that the negotiation by the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage (NMW), had last Friday, collapse, following the withdrawal of the Organised Labour from the meeting
The withdrawal of Labour from negotiation, was followed by a meeting with the Leadership of the National Assembly, which attempted to intervene and stop the strike action declared last Friday
The Organised Labour went ahead with the nationwide strike, which has paralysed economic activities, to drive home its demands.
In a bid to halt further action, the Federal Government, in the National interest, convened a meeting with Labour held in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, on Monday 3rd June, with a view to ending the strike action.
After exhaustive deliberation and engagement by both parties agreed to continue negotiations
The meeting was attended by Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation and Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, representing the Federal Government of Nigeria:
This is just as the Organised Labour was represented by Joe Ajaero, President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Festus Osifo, President, Trade Union Congress (TUC)
The meeting was also attended by Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser, NSA and George Akume, the SGF who brokered the meeting.
