Govt, Nigeria Labour Congress Meeting Over Indefinite Strike Results In Deadlock

The federal government called the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) for a meeting Monday over the planned indefinite strike. However, the meeting didn't help the government from shutting down the upcoming strike.

Following the meeting, NLC president Joe Ajaero said that it was a "fruitful" discussion, but there will be more meetings to ensure that the government and the union come to a meaningful agreement within the remaining days of the ultimatum.

The union announced the strike on Sept. 1 and gave a 21-day ultimatum to the government to address labor union demands amid the removal of subsidies that caused an increase in fuel prices, among other issues.

"We equally discussed frankly the issue bordering the coup floated and executed by the Nigeria Police against the National Union of Road Transport Workers which has led to the detention of their democratically elected national officers and both parties agreed to show concern towards the resolution of the matter," Ajaero was quoted as saying by Punch.

"It is one sore area that the trade union movement in Nigeria is not ready to compromise. Whether a coup in the trade union movement or in the polity. It must be condemned; whether it is in Niger Republic, Congo or Mali or in the trade union movement in Nigeria," he added.

Aside from this, the president noted that there has been no agreement or implementation on the subsidy removal issue, adding that there is "no CNG anywhere."

Ajaero pointed out that refineries are not working, there is no agreement on wage awards, and these are the issues that the union is expecting to be resolved before the ultimatum expires.

The president shared that the union is expecting something positive to happen, noting that they have "a convivial deliberation with the minister," hoping that even one day before the strike starts, the government will get to the root of these problems.

He further shared that whenever the union is called for the meeting, they will attend. Previously, the federal minister of Labour and Employment of Nigeria, Simon Bako Lalong, invited the NLC for a meeting on Sept. 4 to suspend the planned strike. However, NLC did not attend the meeting.

Lalong also opened up after the closed-door meeting, saying, "Our meeting was very robust. It was a fruitful meeting. Many of the items presented by labor are still under consideration before the final agreement or discussions."

"I thank the NLC for coming to the meeting and for their very useful contributions," he added.