A Relief From Hardship As Labor Postpones Indefinite Strike In 11th-Hour Move....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

At the eleventh hour, organized labor made the decision to postpone the previously scheduled nationwide indefinite strike, which was set to commence today. This delay is intended to grant the federal government an opportunity to implement outlined programs aimed at mitigating the hardships resulting from the removal of the fuel subsidy.

The suspension, lasting for a duration of 30 days, is the result of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) reached between the labor unions and the federal government at the Presidential Villa.

The strike notice had been issued by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in response to the federal government’s removal of the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), leading to an increase in fuel prices.

Key provisions of the MOU include:

1. A commitment from the federal government to implement a wage award of N35,000 for all Federal Government workers, beginning in September, until a new national minimum wage is enacted.

2. The establishment of a minimum wage committee within one month from the date of the agreement.

3. Suspension of Value Added Tax (VAT) collection on Diesel for six months, commencing in October 2023.

4. Allocation of N100 billion for the provision of high-capacity Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses for mass transit, along with CNG conversion kits and stations nationwide, with the aim of commencing by November.

5. Implementation of various tax incentives for the private sector and the general public.

6. Commitment to resolve leadership crises within the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and address issues concerning the purported proscription of the Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN).

7. Referral of outstanding salaries and wages of tertiary education workers in federal-owned educational institutions to the Ministry of Labour and Employment for further discussion.

8. Payment of N25,000 per month for three months, starting in October 2023, to 15 million households, including vulnerable pensioners.

9. Expansion of initiatives for the subsidized distribution of fertilizers to farmers nationwide.

10. Encouragement of state governments, local governments, and the private sector to implement wage awards for their workers.

11. Commitment to provide funds for Micro and Small-Scale Enterprises (MSMEs) and a focus on creating decent jobs.

12. A joint visitation to the refineries to assess their rehabilitation status.

Additionally, all parties committed to adhering to the principles of social dialogue in future engagements. The MOU will be filed with the relevant Court of competent jurisdiction as a consent judgment by the Federal Government within one week.

The MOU was signed by NLC President Joe Ajaero, NLC General Secretary Emmanuel Ugboaja, TUC President Festus Osifo, and TUC Secretary Nuhu A. Toro. Representing the federal government were Minister of Labour Simon Lalong, Minister of State Labour Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, and Minister of Information Mohammed Idris.

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu approved a provisional wage award of N35,000 for all treasury-paid federal government workers for a period of six months following further consultations with the government delegation that met with the leadership of NLC and TUC.

It is worth noting that during the meeting between both parties, the federal government pledged its commitment to expedite the deployment of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to alleviate public transportation challenges resulting from the removal of the PMS subsidy. The government also announced funding support for micro and small-scale enterprises, VAT waiver on diesel for the next six months, and payment of N75,000 to 15 million households for a three-month period from October to December 2023 at N25,000 per month. The federal government emphasized that outstanding issues could be resolved through active engagement in work and not during a strike.