Oct 3 strike: FG’s meeting with Organised Labour hits deadlock
…Tinubu reviews workers wage award to N35,000
…As Labour rejects N25,000 six-month allowances for govt workers
…Labour to consider FG’s offer — Information Minister
The meeting of the Federal Government with the organised labour has hit a deadlock on Sunday as the parties failed to reach an agreement to avert the planned strike of October 3, 2023.
The FG delegation led by Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila alongside Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong as the time of filing this report had to go on break, to go and consult with the President on the new demands of the Labour.
The organised labour in their meeting with the Federal Government team at the Permanent Conference Room, Presidential Villa, Abuja, rejected the N25,000 provisional wage and demanded the wage to be 100 percent of the current minimum wage.
President Bola Tinubu in his Sunday nationwide independence anniversary broadcast had announced allowance provision to the tune of N25,000 for junior government workers in the space of six months.
The President noted that he is aware of the pains endured by Nigerians over the petrol subsidy removal policy he introduced since the onset of his administration.
He said that his government is working hard to lay a solid economic foundation for the country.
However, the organised labour as gathered as at the time of filing this report was not pleased with the relief measures declared by the president.
Delivering his speech in commemoration of the country’s 63rd Independence Day anniversary on Sunday, Tinubu recalled that during his May 29 inauguration as the nation’s president, he called for the end of the fuel subsidy, among other reforms.
He said that such reforms were necessary to put the nation on the path of “prosperity and growth.”
“At my inauguration, I made important promises about how I would govern this great nation. Among those promises, were pledges to reshape and modernise our economy and to secure the lives, liberty, and property of the people.
“I said that bold reforms were necessary to place our nation on the path of prosperity and growth. On that occasion, I announced the end of the fuel subsidy,” he stated.
The President, while noting that reforms may be painful, assured that the nation is on its path to a future where “hunger, poverty, and hardship are pushed into the shadows of an ever-fading past.”
He also added that the country will be in a position where its fruits and abundance are “fairly shared among all, not hoarded by a select and greedy few.”
Tinubu said the Nigerian people must endure to reach the good side of “our future,” adding that today’s burdens which are shouldered by the masses ought to have become a thing of the past, noting that his administration is doing all within its capacity to ease the stress on the masses through reforms.
He said that his government has started direct fiscal and monetary policy to fight inflation, encourage production, ensure the security of lives and property, and lend more support to the poor and the vulnerable.
The President also announced the approval of N25,000 provisional allowance for junior federal workers over the next six months.
He equally announced the set up of an Infrastructure Support Fund for states to invest in critical areas, part of which are the funds received by State Governments to provide relief packages against the impact of rising food and other prices.
The President also disclosed the plan to deploy “cheaper, safer” Compressed Natural Gas buses across the nation which will operate at a fraction of current fuel prices, thus positively affecting transport fares.
While acknowledging the hardships presently faced by the citizens, Tinubu said the present sacrifice is what greatness and the future required for a Nigeria where hunger, poverty, and hardship are pushed into the shadows of an ever-fading past.
“To endure, our home must be constructed on safe and pleasant ground. Reform may be painful, but it is what greatness and the future require. We now carry the costs of reaching a future in Nigeria where the abundance and fruits of the nation are fairly shared among all, not hoarded by a select and greedy few. A Nigeria where hunger, poverty, and hardship are pushed into the shadows of an ever-fading past.
“There is no joy in seeing the people of this nation shoulder burdens that should have been shed years ago. I wish today’s difficulties did not exist. But we must endure if we are to reach the good side of our future,” he said.
To ease the burden on families, Tinubu said his administration has introduced initiatives, saying, “we have embarked on several public sector reforms to stabilise the economy, direct fiscal and monetary policy to fight inflation, encourage production, ensure the security of lives and property and lend more support to the poor and the vulnerable.
“Based on our talks with labour, business and other stakeholders, we are introducing a provisional wage increment to enhance the federal minimum wage without causing undue inflation. For the next six months, the average low-grade worker shall receive an additional Twenty-Five Thousand naira per month.
“To ensure better grassroots development, we set up an Infrastructure Support Fund for states to invest in critical areas. States have already received funds to provide relief packages against the impact of rising food and other prices,” he said.
“In this regard, we have opened a new chapter in public transportation through the deployment of cheaper, safer Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses across the nation. These buses will operate at a fraction of current fuel prices, positively affecting transport fares.
“New CNG conversion kits will start coming in very soon as all hands are on deck to fast track the usually lengthy procurement process. We are also setting up training facilities and workshops across the nation to train and provide new opportunities for transport operators and entrepreneurs.
“This is a groundbreaking moment where, as a nation, we embrace more efficient means to power our economy. In making this change, we also make history,” he added.
The new provisions announced by the president however, the N25,000 provisional wage increment for the average low-grade worker and the N15 million additional Conditional Cash Transfer for vulnerable households were not satisfactory to labour demands, hence, raising more anxiety over the Tuesday planned indefinite strike which the government has made attempts to forestall.
Pressure built up last week over plans by the organised labour as both governmental and political bodies seeking to talk out the major unions, the NLC and the TUC, from plans to embark on the indefinite strike set for Tuesday, October 03 2023, heightened efforts with various approaches.
The organised labour was on Thursday overwhelmed with pleas from political and government bodies at the instance to convince the unions from embarking on a nationwide industrial action, which they argued would not benefit the Country.
The National Economic Council (NEC) last Thursday had urged the organised labour to reconsider its decision.
Recall the NLC and TUC had jointly on Tuesday, September 26, declared the resolve to begin an indefinite strike on Tuesday, October 3, in protest against what has been described as anti-people policies by the new President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government, particularly over the hardship that has trailed the removal of subsidy payment on premium motor spirit (PMS), popularly called petrol.
Suspense further built up over the planned action when the leadership of the Labour Party (LP) last Wednesday threw its weight of support behind the planned industrial action of the unions, saying the presidency has been insensitive to the plight of Nigerian workers.
The organised Labour had threatened to ground activities nationwide from October 3 following the failure of the government to successfully implement policies to alleviate the sufferings of the masses after the removal of fuel subsidy.
“It’s going to be a total shutdown… until the government meets the demand of Nigerian workers, and in fact Nigerian masses,” the union leaders affirmed in a joint statement.
They said, “The Federal Government has refused to meaningfully engage and reach agreements with organised labour on critical issues of the consequences of the unfortunate hike in the price of petrol which has unleashed massive suffering on Nigeria workers and masses.”
After the 21-day ultimatum given by the NLC lapsed last week, the NLC National President, Joe Ajaero, had lamented that none of the demands put before the Federal Government was addressed.
Among other things, the NLC and the TUC are asking for wage awards, implementation of palliatives, tax exemptions and allowances to public sector workers and a review of the minimum wage.
In a statement last Wednesday, by its National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh titled ‘Workers strike: Labour Party identifies with Nigerian workers’ the Labour Party bemoaned that Nigerian workers have shown enough patience and understanding.
While charging supporters of the party to stock up on food, the party warned that the leadership of LP will support any legitimate means to demand better welfare for Nigerian workers.
Recall Nigerian NewsDirect had reported how that the meetings held between the Federal Government and the NLC ended in deadlock without clear direction on cancellation of the strike.
The declaration of the indefinite strike by NLC is trailing a warning strike which held two days across the nation, on Tuesday, September 05 and Wednesday, September 06.
Barely a week after leading the two-day nationwide warning strike, the NLC again threatened to embark on an indefinite strike should the Federal Government fail to meet its demands at the end of a 21-day ultimatum which expired last week.
According to the NLC, the proposed strike was necessary following the failure of the Federal Government to provide palliatives to assuage the hardship of Nigerians as a result of the fuel subsidy removal.
The NLC which had on September 01, 2023 handed down a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government over the delay in sharing of palliatives, had said it might be compelled to embark on an indefinite labour action if appropriate responses from the government were not taken.
Following the meeting with the organized labour, the President also agreed to increase the provisional wage award for all treasury-paid Federal Government workers to N35,000 for 6 months
Rising from the meeting, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mallam Mohammed Idris, in a statement on Sunday night, said part of the resolutions reached during the meeting was that labour unions would consider the federal government offers.
“NLC and TUC will consider the offers by the Federal Government with a view to suspending the planned strike to allow for further consultations on the implementation of the resolutions,” he said.
Other resolutions, he said, included, “the issues in dispute can only be resolved when workers are at work and not when they are on strike.
“Labour Unions argued for higher wage awards and the Federal Government Team promised to present Labour’s request to President Bola Tinubu for further consideration.
“A sub-committee to be constituted to work out the details of implementation of all items for consideration regarding government interventions to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal.
“The lingering matter of Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria and National Union of Road Transport Workers in Lagos State needs to be addressed urgently and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who participated virtually, pledged to resolve the matter.”
The Minister said the Kwara State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, Abdulrazak Abdulrahman, and Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, participated virtually in the meeting, chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Also in attendance were the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, the Minister of State, Labour, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite, the Head of Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan and the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
