National Assembly meets labour unions to avert Monday strike

In a bid to prevent the looming industrial action slated to commence on Monday, the National Assembly is meeting with leadership of organised labour unions and several ministers.

The aim is to explore various solutions and ensure that the interests of all parties are fairly represented,  following the impasse between the federal government and labour unions over the new national minimum wage and the recent hike in electricity tariffs.

Read also: Minimum Wage: Labour’s nationwide strike action illegal – FG

The leadership of the National Assembly, represented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Abbas Tajudeen, Speaker of the House of Representatives is leading the discussions to mediate the situation.

Joe Ajaero, president of the NLC , and Festus Osifo, president of TUC and members of their national executive are in attendance.

The meeting is also attended by George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF)Atiku Bagudu, the Minister of National Planning, Wales Edun, the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, Nkiruka Onyejiocha Minister of State for Labour and Productivity, Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation.

Other ministers are  Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development,  and Folasade Yemi-Esan, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation,

Read also: Railway workers to begin indefinite nationwide strike on Monday

The Nigeria Labour Congress NLC and the Trade Union Congress TUC, on Friday declared indefinite strike commencing from Monday, June 3, 2024.

The negotiation which resumed on Friday, again ended in deadlock as labour officials walked out of the meeting.

The NLC and TUC, had last week, rejected the N60000 fresh offer put forward by the federal government, heightening tension over a possible industrial action, as the May 31st deadline given by the organised labour expires today, Friday.

Read also: Minimum wage: Flight disruptions loom as aviation workers join strike

Osifo explained that the Organised Labour had no choice but embark on the strike as government officials did not attend the Friday’s tripartite meeting.