For 30 days, organised labour suspends its nationwide strike

The indefinite strike that was set to begin on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, has been suspended by the Trade Union Congress and the Nigeria Labour Congress, respectively.

After a lengthy conference between the unions and the federal government, they made the announcement.

To give the government time to fulfil some of its pledges, the action was put on hold for 30 days.

Comrade Joe Ajaero, President NLC, Comrade (Engr) Festus Osifo, President TUC, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, General Secretary NLC, and Comrade Nuhu A. Toro, Secretary General, TUC, all signed a memorandum of agreement that was released after the meeting.

On the side of the government were H.E. Simon Bako Lalong, the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, the Hon. Dr. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, the Honourable Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mallam Mohammed Idris, and the Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation.

It says as follows:

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ARRANGED BETWEEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA AND THE NIGERIA LABOUR CONGRESS (NLC) AND TRADE UNION CONGRESS OF NIGERIA (TUC) AS A RESULT OF DISPUTE ARISING FROM WITHDRAWAL OF SUBSIDY ON THE PRICE OF PREMIUM MOTOR SPIRIT (PMS) ON MONDAY, THE

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) issued a strike notice that had expired and were prepared to go on strike that was scheduled to start on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, as a result of the Federal Government removing its subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and the ensuing increase in the price of the commodity. In order to prevent the strike, the Federal Government summoned a meeting, and following extensive debate, the following agreements were made:

1. Starting in September and until a new national minimum wage is anticipated to have been enacted into law, the Federal Government awards a wage award of N35,000 (thirty-five thousand Naira) to all Federal Government employees.
2. Within a month after the date of this agreement, a minimum wage committee must be established.
3. Starting in October 2023, the federal government will no longer collect Value Added Tax (VAT) on diesel.
4. The Federal Government consents to allocating N100 billion for the purchase of high-capacity CNG buses for Nigeria’s mass transit system. While construction on state-of-the-art CNG stations across the country continues, plans are also being prepared for the first 55,000 CNG conversion kits to launch an auto petrol conversion campaign. The deployment is planned to start in November with trials on 10 campuses around the country.
5. The federal government intends to establish several tax incentive programmes for the public and commercial sectors.
6. The Federal Government pledges to handle labour concerns in accordance with the ILO Conventions and Nigerian Labour Acts in light of the leadership crises roiling the NURTW and the alleged proscription of RTEAN. By or by October 13, a solution to the current deadlock is anticipated.
7. The Ministry of Labour and Employment has been tasked with additional engagement on the issue of unpaid salaries and wages of tertiary education employees in federally owned educational institutions.
8. Starting in October 2023, the Federal Government agrees to give N25,000 per month to 15 million households, including vulnerable seniors.
9. The federal government will step up its efforts to subsidise the provision of fertilisers to farmers all around the nation.
10. The Federal Government should compel State Government to execute salary awards for their employees through the National Economic Council and Governors Forum. Local government and private sector employees should be given the same attention.
11. The Federal Government pledges to provide the monies for micro and small businesses that the President promised to provide in his August 1 broadcast to the country. Beneficiaries of MSMEs should firmly embrace the idea of respectable employment.
12. To assess the refineries’ state of rehabilitation, a joint visitation will be performed.
13. All parties pledge to follow the social dialogue’s rules in all of our ensuing interactions.
14. The NLC and TUC agree to postpone for 30 days the Indefinite Nationwide Strike slated to start on Tuesday, October 3, 2023.
15. Within one (1) week, the Federal Government shall submit this Memorandum as a consent judgement with the appropriate court of competent jurisdiction.