Strike: FG, NLC Lock Horns As Discussion Continues Tuesday

The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has revealed that it is yet to reach an agreement with the Federal Government.

The NLC after a closed-door meeting with the Minister of Labour and Employment Simon Lalong, on Monday, said the Thursday deadline given to the government to address it’s demand is still in force.

In an interview on channels TV monitored by THE WHISTLER on Monday, Ajaero said, “In the first instance every party holds their card for possible negotiations, and when you reach that point, you can strike a balance but the issue of good faith is also very important.

“Not when you negotiate over time and nothing happens, you can’t go back to your member with a negative report all the time. Currently when we go for negotiations with over five demands, not even one has been met or addressed, even the easiest of them all.”

He alleged that NLC demand on wage award is deliberately misinterpreted.

According to him, “The union demand is wage award, not minimum wage”.

Ajaero said that there is no ambiguity between the two wages.

“The minimum wage is a national wage that must be negotiated with the three tripartite bodies – government, employers, and the union – while the wage award is given to workers to alleviate the additional social pressure brought upon the working population by the removal of the subsidy.

“We have not put at the table the issue of minimum wage, what we are striving for is wage award. This is because the minimum wage will be reviewed next year, which the Federal Government, State government, and Trade Union Congress (TUC) will decide on.

“However, wage award is to cushion the shock of subsidy removal and we are taking the percentage of the hike in fuel subsidy” he noted

Ajaero while addressing issues of TUC calling off its plan said that NLC is not an organized Union, but rather the body that houses all other unions in the country.

He noted that when the union decides to embark on strike, the (TUC) is not in a position to call off the action.

He said the meeting with the Federal Government delegation will continue on Tuesday.