By Our Reporter
There appears to be a disconnect in the Nigeria Labour Congress as Niger faction of the Union suspended its strike action Thursday following a meeting with the Niger state government, just as the Trade Union Congress backed off, denying any involvement in the decision by NLC to embark on a nation-wide protest.
The organised labour in Niger state, northcentral Nigeria, started a strike on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, grounding some government facilities. It was embarked on against the backdrop of a likely nationwide protest. However, by Wednesday evening, February 21, news emerged that the strike had been called off following a meeting with the state governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago.
The Niger state government and the organized labour reportedly reached an agreement with the government stating that they would pay workers in the state and local government areas (LGAs) N20,000 each as wage award in March.
It was also agreed that a tripartite committee comprising representatives of the Niger house of assembly, the executive, and the organised labour shall be put in place to look at the laws and proffer recommendations to the government. In addition, the parties concluded that there shall be refunds of 10 percent contributory pension scheme (CPS) to exempted workers in the LGAs as the outstanding refunds of N218.7 million shall be paid in three installments, according to zones.
Meanwhile, just as the Niger state government managed to reach a truce with the state faction of Labour to call off their strike, the parent body of the NLC has vowed to go ahead with its nation-wide planned strike, despite warnings from the government.
Labour is among other things protesting the inability of government to live up to its promises to Labour and the general insensitivity of government towards the plight of workers, in addition to the high cost of living, inflation, insecurity and hardship in the country.
However, reports have it that the Trade Union Congress has backed out of the planned two-day strike by Labour. TUC has so far reportedly denied that the decision to embark on the protest by NLC on February 27, 2024, was not jointly taken. The Vice President of TUC was quoted in press briefing in Abuja recently as saying; “We cannot join the protest as the decision was not taken collectively.”
The Directorate of State Security Services, DSS, has issued a stern warning to NLC not to proceed on the protest.