Organised Labour relaxes nationwide strike for one-week

The Organised Labour says it has relaxed the indefinite nationwide strike declared on Monday, for one-week to allow continuation of negotiations

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) made this known in a communique issued at the end of a joint National Executive Council meeting on Tuesday in Abuja.

It would be recalled that labour had declared an indefinite nationwide strike, midnight of June 2, to press home its demands of non conclusion of national minimum wage fixing and non reversal of hike in electricity tariff.

The communique was jointly signed by Mr Joe Ajaero, NLC President and Mr Festus Osifo, President of TUC.

Ajaero said NEC relaxed the indefinite strike, following the resolution by the federal government to offer more than the N60,000, it put forward to the tripartite committee.

According to Ajaero, in view of the deliberations, the NEC-in-session resolved that there is a greater need to create the right ambience for negotiation to continue unhindered.

“The indefinite nationwide strike action is therefore relaxed for one week from today to allow the federal government commit to a concrete and acceptable national minimum wage;.

“Also to take definite steps to reverse the electricity tariff hike back to N66/kwh and abolish the discriminatory classification of electricity consumers into Bands.

“The NLC and TUC National Leadership are mandated to continue to maintain open channels of communication with the Federal Government to negotiate and secure favourable outcomes for Nigerian workers and people.

“All affiliate unions and State Councils are therefore, directed to relax the indefinite nationwide strike and return to their respective workplaces immediately,” he said.

Ajaero added that the NEC-in-session expressed profound gratitude to Nigerian workers and the general public for their unwavering support and solidarity in this critical struggle for improved living and working conditions.

He said that the NLC and TUC remained committed to “pursuing all necessary actions to protect the rights and welfare of all Nigerian people and workers as we urge all to await further directives while the negotiation continues.”