The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have jointly suspended the planned nationwide strike that would have taken off today, Tuesday September 3rd 2023.
The two union have been at daggers drawn with the Federal Government over the aftermath of the sudden removal of subsidy on petrol on May 29, 2023 which has thrown Nigerians into untold hardship as prices of food, goods and transportation have risen above 300%
However, announcing the suspension of the earlier planned strike, the leadership of the unions said the unions have entered into an agreement with the government through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the representatives of the labour unions and the federal government on Monday night.
The suspension of the strike action will be for an initial period of 30 days as both the unions and the federal government agreed “to henceforth abide by the dictates of Social dialogue in all our future engagements.”
Part of the MoU is the approval of N35, 000 to all federal government workers pending the take off of a new and streamlined national minimum wage.
Also, the MoU stipulates that the federal government will remove the 7.5% VAT on diesel.
The full MoU reads:
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING REACHED 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 2ND DAY OF OCTOBER, 2023
Arising from the withdrawal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) by the Federal Government and the resultant increase in the price of the commodity, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) issued a strike notice which had elapsed and they were poised to embark on a strike billed to commence on Tuesday, the 3rd of October, 2023.
Consequently, a meeting was called by the Federal Government to avert the strike and after much discussion, the following agreements were reached:
- The Federal Government grants a wage award of N35,000 (thirty-five thousand Naira) only to all Federal Government workers beginning from the month of September pending when a new national minimum wage is expected to have been signed into law.
- A minimum wage committee shall be inaugurated within one month from the date of this agreement.
- Federal Government suspends collection of Value Added Tax (VAT) on Diesel for six months beginning from October, 2023.
- Federal Government accepts to vote N100 billion for the provision of high capacity CNG buses for mass transit in Nigeria. Provisions are also being made for initial 55,000 CNG conversion kits to kick start an auto gas conversion programme, whilst work is ongoing on state-of-the-art CNG stations nationwide. The rollout aims to commence by November with pilots across 10 campuses nationwide.
- The Federal Government plans to implement various tax incentive measures for private sector and the general public.
- On the leadership crises rocking the NURTW and the purported proscription of RTEAN, the Federal Government commits to handling Labour matters in line with relevant ILO Conventions and Nigerian Labour Acts. A resolution of the ongoing impasse is expected by or before October 13.
7, The issue of outstanding Salaries and Wages of Tertiary Education workers in Federal-owned educational institutions is being referred to Ministry of Labour and Employment for further engagement.
- The Federal Government commits to pay N25,000 per month for three months starting from October, 2023 to 15 million households, including vulnerable pensioners.
- The Federal Government will increase its initiatives on subsidized distribution of fertilizers to farmers across the country.
- The Federal Government should urge State Government through the National Economic Council and Governors Forum to implement wage award for their workers. Similar consideration should also be given to local government and private sector workers.
- The Federal Government commits to the provision of funds as announced by the President on the 1st of August broadcast to the Nation for Micro and Small Scale Enterprises. The MSMEs beneficiaries should commit to the principle of decent jobs.
- A joint visitation will be made to the refineries to ascertain their rehabilitation status.
- All parties commit to henceforth abide by the dictates of Social dialogue in all our future engagements.
- The NLC and TUC accept to suspend for 30 days the planned Indefinite Nationwide strike scheduled to begin, Tuesday, the 3rd of October, 2023.
- This Memorandum shall be filed with the relevant Court of competent jurisdiction within one (1) week as consent judgment by the Federal Government.
Signed:
NLC:
Comrade Joe Ajaero Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, mni
President NLC General Secretary
TUC
Comrade (Engr) Festus Osifo Comrade Nuhu A. Toro
President Secretary General
Federal Government:
H.E. Simon Bako Lalong
Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment
Hon. Dr Nkeiruka Onyejeocha
Honourable Minister of State for Labour and Employment
Mallam Mohammed Idris
Honourable Minister of Information and National OrientatioN
