Adelani Adepegba and Ade Adesomoju, Abuja
The Nigeria Labour Congress has suspended its seven-day warning strike following promises by the Federal Government to reconvene the tripartite committee on national minimum wage on October 4, 2018.
The labour movement said the suspension took effect from Sunday, and further directed its affiliate unions and state councils to maintain “a high level of mobilisation and readiness until the struggle for a reasonable minimum wage is achieved.”
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Announcing the decision in Abuja on Sunday, the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, stated that the labour action was suspended to enable the tripartite committee to hold its crucial meeting and conclude its work.
The workers are demanding a new minimum wage of about N50,000 instead of the current national minimum wage of N18, 000.
Wabba, who was flanked by other labour leaders, said the unions had received a formal invitation to a meeting of the tripartite committee scheduled for October 4 and 5.
He stated that the two-day meeting would be the final session of the committee after which a final report would be submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari.
The NLC President said, “We invite you here today (Sunday) to inform you that we have received a firm and formal invitation to a reconvened meeting of the tripartite committee scheduled for the 4th and 5th of October, 2018.
“We demand that this shall be the final session of the committee and that a final report will be submitted to Mr President immediately.”
He added, “In order to avail the committee the necessary conducive environment to hold this crucial meeting and conclude its work, organised labour has, after obtaining the mandate of their necessary organs, decided to suspend the strike action with effect from Sunday, September 30, 2018.”
The labour leaders had held a meeting with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, last Wednesday where they were informed that the tripartite committee on minimum wage would reconvene on October 4.
But the labour leaders were unimpressed as they refused to suspend the strike which the NLC, Trade Union of Nigeria and the United Labour Congress had ordered shortly before the parley with the minister in Abuja.
The union leaders subsequently held a meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, at the Presidential Villa last Thursday, where they were prevailed upon to call off the strike.
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The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria has directed its members to resume work on Tuesday.
Shortly after NLC suspended the strike on Sunday, President of JUSUN, Mr Marwan Adamu, said, “The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria has asked all its members across Nigeria to resume work on Tuesday, October 2nd, 2018 following the suspension of the strike by the organised labour.”
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