Strike Looms as FG, Labour Agreement Threatened by NLC Accusations

In a development that raises the specter of a nationwide strike, the agreement between the Federal Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) appears to be in jeopardy. The NLC has accused the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, of breaching the agreement.

The organized Labour movement, comprising the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), had previously put a hold on their planned nationwide strike after reaching an agreement with the government on October 2, 2023. This agreement included commitments such as a N35,000 wage award for federal workers and a promise not to interfere with the activities of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

Efforts to reach Minister Simon Lalong for a response were unsuccessful as his mobile phone calls went unanswered. However, the Ministry’s Director of Press, Mr. Olajide Oshundun, mentioned that he had not seen the NLC’s statement since the ministry was not copied on it, and he expressed willingness to discuss it with the minister once he receives it.

The NLC claims that Minister Lalong is attempting to impose new leadership on the NURTW, which would be a violation of both International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions 87 and 98, as well as the agreement made between the government and labour.

With the 30-day deadline for the agreement’s implementation approaching in less than two weeks, the NLC, in a statement by its General Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja, has expressed its commitment to standing by the democratically elected NURTW leadership and working with them as the legitimate representatives of transport sector workers.

The NLC has also raised concerns about the government’s intentions, asserting that the government’s negotiation might not have been in good faith. The statement condemns Minister Lalong’s actions as undermining the principles of democratic governance.

The NLC emphasizes that the NURTW leadership crisis was initiated by the federal government with the backing of the police, and it calls for the reinstatement of the democratically elected leadership. The NLC insists on upholding ILO conventions, the constitution, and statutes related to trade unions.

The NLC’s message is clear: the government must either honour the October 2, 2023 Agreement in its true spirit or risk a national industrial crisis. The blame for any such crisis, according to the NLC, would squarely fall on Minister Lalong.