Today, on Monday, September 18, 2023, the Federal Government and the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress are scheduled to convene a meeting aimed at addressing concerns related to the impending industrial action.
This meeting was announced in a statement by Olajide Oshundun, the Director of Information at the Ministry of Labour and Employment, on Sunday.
It read, “The Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, has again invited the Nigerian Labour Congress for another meeting over its planned indefinite strike.
“The minister, who directed the Department of Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations to convene a meeting with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress for Monday, September 18, 2023, said it was important that the unions sit with the government to resolve all pending matters to avert further disruption to the economy.
“According to the Minister, the administration of President Bola Tinubu will always engage organised labour and respond to its concerns after due consultation and negotiations in order to guarantee industrial harmony, which is critical to the attainment of the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
A source confirmed that the NLC would be meeting with the Federal Government on Monday and the congress would be in attendance.
“We will be in attendance tomorrow to listen to what the Federal Government will say,” the source said.
The recent invitation by the Federal Government comes shortly after the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) concluded a two-day warning strike. Prior to this strike, the NLC had declined an earlier meeting with the Federal Government and instead opted for the strike action. The strike was organized in response to the growing hardship and suffering faced by citizens due to the removal of fuel subsidy.
The NLC had initially given notice of a two-day warning strike to protest the widespread suffering and impoverishment that people across the country were enduring. They also issued a warning that if the government did not take measures to alleviate these hardships within 14 working days or 21 days following the warning strike, they would initiate a complete and indefinite shutdown of the economy.
