A crucial meeting has been convened by the Federal Government to address the proposed nationwide strike by Organised Labour. The meeting is currently underway at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Labour leaders have begun arriving at the venue for the meeting, which aims to find a resolution and avert the impending strike.
Key Attendees
Some of the prominent labour leaders present include Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Emma Ugboaja, General Secretary of the NLC, and Nuhu Toro, General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
Leading the negotiating team from the government’s side are Femi Gbajiabiamila, the Chief of Staff to the President, as well as Simon Lalong and Nkeiruka Onyejoecha, the ministers of Labour and Employment, respectively.
The Fuel Subsidy Protest
The proposed nationwide indefinite strike, scheduled to commence on October 3rd, 2023, is in response to the Federal Government’s fuel subsidy removal policy. The Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress have both threatened to carry out this collective action.
Response to Salary Concerns
In a surprising development, this meeting follows President Bola Tinubu’s Independence Day Broadcast, in which he announced a N25,000 salary award package for low-grade civil servants in the country.