Strike: FG meets with labour Sunday evening, unions insist on action

0
285

The Federal Government on Sunday called for a meeting with labour leaders to avert Monday’s nationwide protest.

The meeting was earlier scheduled to hold on Monday, September 28, but the deputy director of press and public relations at the ministry of labour and employment, Charles Akpan, said  the meeting was expected to hold at the Old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja

- Advertisement -

However, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) are yet to call off the proposed strike action. The unions are protesting the recent hikes in the pump price of petroleum and electricity tariff.

- Advertisement -

Both unions had met with the Speaker, House Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila,   who asked the unions to shelve the plan to give room for negotiations.

- Advertisement -

READ ALSO: WASSCE: Delta demotes 41 teachers over exam malpractice

However, Ayuba Wabba, NLC president, and Quadri Olaleye, his TUC counterpart, condemned the government’s delay in reversing the hikes as demanded.

Speaking after the meeting, Wabba said if the issues are not addressed, “all the actions pronounced will be taken as the notice expires tomorrow”. He, however, commended the house leadership for its intervention.

-Advertisement-


“We also told him how the meeting with Federal Government went and how the meeting was adjourned and he has promised to also intervene at his own level to see that we don’t inflict more pains on Nigerians,” he said.

The national industrial court in Abuja had granted an order of interim injunction restraining the labour unions from embarking on the strike pending the hearing and determination of a motion before it.

The court also ordered the police and the State Security Service to ensure no one seeking to go to work on September 28 is prevented by the two labour unions.

Both the NLC and TUC have vowed to proceed with their protest despite the court order.

Wabba said the organised labour has not been served with any restraining order from a court in respect to the planned strike, and he asked the federal government not to ambush the unions with any court action.

“There is a valid judgement of the federal high court stopping the tariff increase and  that  judgement is still subsisting,” he said.

As of 10pm, both the Federal Government and the labour were still at the meeting. The unions insisted that the strike would begin except government meets its demands.

We do everything possible to supply quality news and information to all our valuable readers day in, day out and we are committed to keep doing this. Your kind donation will help our continuous research efforts.

-Advertisement-

-Want to get the news as it breaks?-

- Advertisement -