Labour suspends proposed warning strike

Labour suspends proposed warning strike
Helen Shok Jok, Abuja

Organised labour in Nigeria has suspended its planned three days nationwide warning strike, due to have taken off on Wednesday, July 20, 2011.

The agreement to shelve the strike was reached after series of meetings with the Governors Forum and the government representatives headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator  Anyim Pius Anyim, on one hand, and the organised labour,  comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) on the other hand.

The presidents of the NLC, Comrade Abdulwahed Omar and the president of TUC, Comrade Peter Esele, signed  a seven point communiqué on behalf of workers with the government.

The agreement reached

The following are part of the agreement reached:

• That the Federal government has agreed to comply with the new national minimum wage (amended) Act 2011.
• The federal government shall conclude negotiations with labour on the implementation of the new wage not later than July 31, 2011.
• Detailed negotiations on the relativity implication(s) of the implementation of the new wage will be concluded not later than July 31, 2011.
• The new wage will be implemented with effect from August 1, 2011.
• The arrears of the new wage with effect from March 23, 2011, will be paid not later than August 31, 2011.
• No worker shall be victimized in any manner or form as a result of the implementation of the new national minimum wage.

The communiqué read by NLC president, Mr Abdulhamed Omar, stated that; “In line with the Agreement earlier reached with the federal government  and state governors, labour resolves to suspend the three day warning strike across the country.”

Even though many Nigerians, who had been looking forward to the strike as a time to take a quick break from work, will be disappointed with the suspension of the strike, the truth remains that the labour movement in Nigeria got a good deal for workers.

The Labour Minister, Mr. Emeka Wogu, thanked organised labour for their understanding in the matter, and promised that government would honour all the agreements reached at the meeting.

Williams