Sat. Nov 23rd, 2024

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) says the implementation of agreements reached between organised labour and Federal Government is work in progress.

The Deputy President, TUC, Mr Tommy Okon, told Newsmen on Wednesday in Lagos that labour was patiently watching.

“As we speak, after our agreement, we gave the 30-day ultimatum; the Minister of Labour and Employment took the matter to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Monday, Oct. 16, 2023 and it was endorsed.

“Also, it was agreed that implementation will take effect from Sept. 1, 2023 in the area of N35,000, being the case of the palliative; also that they set machinery in motion to converge the committee on National Minimum Wage which was part of the agreement.

“However, we are also waiting for the committee to be fully pronounced and the chairman of the committee mentioned as the case may be; it is work in progress; so, we are just patiently watching, “ he said.

Okon said that on the issue of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, the minister was intervening following the involvement of the committee of experts in the International Labour Organisation.

“So, no government wants its country to be indicted by that committee; therefore, government is working to resolve it from all the information that are its disposal, “ he said.

According to reports, the organised Labour and government had on Oct. 1 signed a 15-point agreement in a Memorandum of Understanding, which was made public.

Some of the agreements include a N35,000 a month pay increase for six months for federal employees; a temporary suspension of Value Added Tax on diesel and social security cash transfers to the poorest Nigerians.

Also, the Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, Lagos State Chapter, Mrs Funmi Sessi, said the union would declare industrial dispute against the state government over non-implementation of agreements reached.

Sessi said that the union had written a reminder letter to Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to a letter the union had already presented the governor on Oct. 4.

“We held a meeting and reviewed the letter that was forwarded to the governor; he has not responded.

“We also reviewed the agreements signed; the agreements favoured federal workers.

“Now, we wrote a reminder letter to the government and gave a week ultimatum, after which, if it expires and we are not invited to discuss the modalities and paying from September, then we will declare industrial dispute against LASG, “ she said.

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