HammerTimes News Online

Tag: NLC

  • Subsidy: FG introduces provisional wage increment

    President Bola Tinubu has approved a provisional wage increment for workers in the country as part of efforts to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal.

    Tinubu mage this known while addressing Nigerians on the 63rd Independence Anniversary of the country in Abuja on Sunday.

    The president said that the average low-grade worker would receive an additional N25,000 per month for the next six month.

    ‘’Based on our talks with labour, business and other stakeholders, we are introducing a provisional wage increment to enhance the federal minimum wage without causing undue inflation.

    ‘’For the next six months, the average low-grade worker shall receive an additional Twenty-Five Thousand naira per month,’’ he said.

    The president said that the present administration was committed to relieving the hardship faced by Nigerians, adding that various measures had been taken by all tiers of government to mitigate them.

    ‘’There is no joy in seeing the people of this nation shoulder burdens that should have been shed years ago. I wish today’s difficulties did not exist. But we must endure if we are to reach the good side of our future.

    ‘’We have embarked on several public sector reforms to stabilize the economy, direct fiscal and monetary policy to fight inflation, encourage production, ensure the security of lives and property and lend more support to the poor and the vulnerable.

    ‘’To ensure better grassroots development, we set up an Infrastructure Support Fund for states to invest in critical areas. States have already received funds to provide relief packages against the impact of rising food and other prices,’’ Tinubu said.

    He said that other efforts were being taken by government to touch all aspects that would impact directly on the lives of Nigerians to ease the pains of the new economic reforms.

    The president said that on the issue of transportation, a cheaper and safer Compressed Natural Gas buses would be deployed across the country.

    ‘’These buses will operate at a fraction of current fuel prices, positively affecting transport fares. New CNG conversions kits will start coming in very soon as all hands are on deck to fast track the usually lengthy procurement process.

    ‘’We are also setting up training facilities and workshops across the nation to train and provide new opportunities for transport operators and entrepreneurs.

    ‘’This is a ground breaking moment where, as a nation, we embrace more efficient means to power our economy. In making this change, we also make history.’’

  • TUC threatens to shut down all oil field locations

    The Trade Union Congress (TUC) says it is ready to shut down all oil field locations in the country if the ongoing discussions with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) do not yield positive results.

    The President of TUC, Comrade Festus Usifo, made the threat on Channels Television on Wednesday.

    Oando PLC announced on September 4, an agreement with ENI, an Italian multinational energy company, over the 100 percent acquisition of Nigerian AGIP Oil Company Limited shares.

    Concerns have been raised about the fate of Nigerian workers in Agip Company following the transition of ownership.

    Reacting to the issues raised, Usifo maintained that the Union’s position is for due process to be followed by Agip Company.

    According to him, TUC is not in support of rolling its members over to Oando PLC without adequate development plans for workers who have worked for so many years for Agip Company.

    Usifo said, “What we are asking is that we need to be sure, our members have worked with NAOC over the years, some have worked for over thirty years, some at the point of retirement, and you are saying you want to hand them over to a new company.

    “The question is; the liabilities that have been incurred by Agip, the pension, gratuity you are supposed to pay these people? Does Oando have the financial wherewithal to be able to meet these financial obligations to our members? That is the first thing.

    “As a patriotic association, we are also asking Oando, you are buying this, what is your development plan? Because the future of our members depends on that company, if the company folds then our members will go home.

    If we are not satisfied with the plans, we will say, pay us our obligations; we do not want to be transited into Oando, pay us our money.

    “I have worked for you for 35 years; I have worked for you for thirty years; pay me my perseverance, and let’s discuss a special separation package so that I go.

    “If I now want to join Oando it would be based on my discretion, anything I see I take, but the years I have put in Agip and NAOC settle me.

    The TUC President insists that Oando PLC cannot manage and sustain production like the International Oil Companies, IOCs, who inject finances into managing the assets.

    “When the IOCs were managing most of these assets, they had the finances to inject into it, and we could have sustained production. That is the real challenge we would be having, and those are the discussions we are also fronting with Agip group.

    “Part of operations like stimulation operations, they do not do well enhancement so we would have issues. Those wells will start declining”.

    He said Agip must sit and have a conversation with the operators working in the oil field locations and ensure their demands are met.

    “We have people who are working in the field locations, the operators working there; you cannot bring people who are dissatisfied to be running your assets it does not work like that

    Who is going to run it? Is it the management of Oando that will just come there and start pressing the buttons? No, you need these employees. So, you must sit down and have a conversation with them.

    “If they insist on not complying, they know the consequence, we will withdraw our members from the respective field locations. What we are doing now is conversation, consultation, and discussion with the Agip management”.

    Meanwhile, members of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) in Agip have held a series of prayer sessions in various NAOC offices and field locations across Delta, Rivers, Imo, and Bayelsa States.

    The workers are using the prayer sessions to seek God’s intervention, and support from the Federal Government and relevant government agencies to impress on NAOC to follow due process on the engagement of Nigerian workers in the sales of NAOC shares to Oando.

    They prayed that the Nigerian labour laws would be enforced strictly to protect the interests of the workforce during the tumultuous transition and the protection of all their members whom the alleged sale of Eni’s assets to Oando has unleashed a storm of uncertainty, fear and despair upon its loyal workforce.

  • NLC Strike: NEC holds crucial meeting

    The National Economic Council (NEC) is holding a crucial meeting today, Thursday, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

    The meeting, being presided over by Vice President, Kashim Shettima, is holding ahead of the planned nationwide strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

    Sources said the nationwide strike and issues surrounding the palliatives are top on the agenda of the meeting.

    The meeting is being attended by the 36 state governors, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu as well as the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

    The NEC headed by the Vice President is the economic think tank of the Federal Government.

  • NLC, TUC declare indefinite strike, protests across Nigeria

    Leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) are finally united in declaring indefinite strike action against government policy of fuel subsidy removal that has inflicted untold hardship on Nigerians across levels.

    Following a joint press briefing held by both leadership of the union in Abuja, the nation’s capital on Tuesday, September 26, 2023, the workers’ unions said the strike action will commence on Tuesday October 3.

    They also asked their state chapters to mobilise for protests across the country.

    It was gathered that the union leaders had resolved their differences that made only NLC embark on a two-day warning strike without the participation of TUC.

    According to the notice of meeting signed by the NLC Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja, the meeting is holding virtually.

    Meanwhile, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong has appealed to the NLC leadership to shelve the planned strike, assuring them that the Federal Government is determined to address the concerns raised.

    The minister also noted that one of the major demands of the NLC in their last meeting has been met, which has to do with the release of the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Road Transport workers.

    A statement signed by the spokesman of the spokesman of the ministry’s Olajide Oshundu, urged the workers’ unions to give the government a little more time to address other issues.

    Recall that On Tuesday, September 5 and Wednesday 6, 2023, NLC embarked on a two-day warning strike to force the government to address the mass suffering of Nigerians, especially workers.

    Sources privy to the matter said the two sides after their separate organs’ meetings, commenced a joint press briefing at 3 p.m. on Tuesday to announce an indefinite nationwide strike following the Federal Government’s failure to address the suffering and other socioeconomic hardships occasioned by the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol.

  • Subsidy: FG invites NLC to meeting Monday

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has been invited to a meeting by the Federal Government on Monday, Sept 18, in continuation of their dialogue on palliatives on petrol subsidy removal.

    Olajide Oshundun, the Director Information, Ministry of Labour and Employment, said this in a statement on Sunday.

    The Minister of Labour and Employment Simon Bako Lalong has again invited the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC for another meeting over its planned indefinite strike.

    “The Minister, who directed the Department of Trade Unions Services and Industrial Relations to convene a meeting with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for Monday 18th September 2023, said it was important that the Unions sit with 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 the 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.

  • NLC begins nationwide warning strike from Sept. 5

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says it will commence a two-day nationwide warning strike from Sept. 5 to 6,except the Federal Government addresses the excruciating suffering of the masses.

    Mr Joe Ajaero, NLC President said this while addressing newsmen at the end of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the congress on Friday in Abuja.

    Ajaero while reading the communiqué jointly signed by Mr Emmanuel Ugboaja, General Secretary of the Congress, said the resolutions were reached after exhaustive deliberation.

    According to him, NEC in session resolved to embark on a total and indefinite shutdown of the nation within 14 working days or 21 days from today.

    “This is until steps are taken by the Government to address the excruciating mass suffering and impoverishment being experienced around the country.

    “To commence a two-day nationwide warning strike on Tuesday and Wednesday from Sept.5 to 6 to demonstrate our readiness for the indefinite strike later in the month .

    “To also demand that the State vacates the illegally occupied National Headquarters of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

    “To embark on a mass protest and rally in Imo within September in preparation for a major shutdown of the state.

    “This is to compel the State government to stop the abuse and violation of the rights and privileges of workers and trade unions in the state, ’he said.

    He also added that to begin the shutdown of the operations of Air peace Airline, and other companies in the Aviation sector that were involved in serial violation of the rights of workers in the sector.

    The NLC president said this was to ensure freedom of Association and to collectively bargain.

    He called on communities around the nation to stop taking laws into their hands but report to the authorities for amicable resolution.

    He said that this was on any matter involving members of the Amalgamated Union of Food Stuffs, and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria (AUFCDN) which is one of our affiliates.

    He urged the new FCT Minister, Mr Nyesome Wike to desist from threatening poor masses with demolition of their properties, and focus more on making houses available to the people.

    “He is not a minister of demolition and should be prepared to meet Nigerian workers and citizens on the street if he carries out his insensitive utterances,” ‘he said.

    Ajaero said that NEC had deeply analysed the prevailing national sentiment, taking into account the extensive hardships and deprivation afflicting the citizens across all states of the federation.

    He said the council scrutinised the Federal Government’s failures to establish essential structures to address the widespread suffering in our nation.

    He also noted that it considered the government’s deliberate neglect and disregard for engaging with national stakeholders through the channels of social dialogue.

    “This is a commitment it had solemnly declared during the President’s inaugural address on May 29,”he said.

  • NLC begins nationwide warning strike from Sept. 5

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says it will commence a two-day nationwide warning strike from Sept. 5 to 6,except the Federal Government addresses the excruciating suffering of the masses.

    Mr Joe Ajaero, NLC President said this while addressing newsmen at the end of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the congress on Friday in Abuja.

    Ajaero while reading the communiqué jointly signed by Mr Emmanuel Ugboaja, General Secretary of the Congress, said the resolutions were reached after exhaustive deliberation.

    According to him, NEC in session resolved to embark on a total and indefinite shutdown of the nation within 14 working days or 21 days from today.

    “This is until steps are taken by the Government to address the excruciating mass suffering and impoverishment being experienced around the country.

    “To commence a two-day nationwide warning strike on Tuesday and Wednesday from Sept.5 to 6 to demonstrate our readiness for the indefinite strike later in the month .

    “To also demand that the State vacates the illegally occupied National Headquarters of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

    “To embark on a mass protest and rally in Imo within September in preparation for a major shutdown of the state.

    “This is to compel the State government to stop the abuse and violation of the rights and privileges of workers and trade unions in the state, ’he said.

    He also added that to begin the shutdown of the operations of Air peace Airline, and other companies in the Aviation sector that were involved in serial violation of the rights of workers in the sector.

    The NLC president said this was to ensure freedom of Association and to collectively bargain.

    He called on communities around the nation to stop taking laws into their hands but report to the authorities for amicable resolution.

    He said that this was on any matter involving members of the Amalgamated Union of Food Stuffs, and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria (AUFCDN) which is one of our affiliates.

    He urged the new FCT Minister, Mr Nyesome Wike to desist from threatening poor masses with demolition of their properties, and focus more on making houses available to the people.

    “He is not a minister of demolition and should be prepared to meet Nigerian workers and citizens on the street if he carries out his insensitive utterances,” ‘he said.

    Ajaero said that NEC had deeply analysed the prevailing national sentiment, taking into account the extensive hardships and deprivation afflicting the citizens across all states of the federation.

    He said the council scrutinised the Federal Government’s failures to establish essential structures to address the widespread suffering in our nation.

    He also noted that it considered the government’s deliberate neglect and disregard for engaging with national stakeholders through the channels of social dialogue.

    “This is a commitment it had solemnly declared during the President’s inaugural address on May 29,”he said.

  • National Assembly Begs Labour To Shelve Strike


    The National Assembly has made a passionate appeal to Organised Labour to reconsider the decision to embark on a national industrial action on Wednesday.

    Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Labour, Employment and Productivity, Hon. Adegboyega Adefarati, made the appeal during a chat with newsmen in Akure, the Ondo state capital.

    Adefarati, is representing Akoko South West/South East federal constituency in the green chamber.

    He expressed concern over the potential severity of negative impacts the industrial action could have on ordinary Nigerians, particularly those who are already grappling with the economic situation.

    The lawmaker noted that President Bola Tinubu and the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abass, are fully aware of the prevailing circumstances.

    Also, speaking on the doctors strike, Adefarati emphasised that the President of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) should take into consideration the plight of Nigerians while pressing forward with their demands.

    He said that there was the need for a balanced approach that considers both the welfare of doctors and the well-being of the populace.

    The House Committee Chairman assured the public that the government is actively engaged in addressing the pertinent issues in a comprehensive manner.

    He said: “My appeal to organised labour is for them to shelve the planned protest slated for August 2nd.

    “This is a new administration and I can assure you that My president belongs to the progressive group. He has set up a committee headed by the Chief of Staff, and they have been meeting and interacting with the workers.

    “Workers should look into the option of negotiation and dialogue rather than protest. A stable industrial and harmonious relationship is sine quo non to development.

    “So, we are appealing to them to shelve the idea and wait for the outcome of the meeting. I believe that it will be a win-win situation for the country, even for the workers.

    “I can assure them that any input they need from the House of Representatives, we are ready. Any agreement reached will be given swift and prompt action by the House.

    “Like the issue of palliative bill. When the bill of N500 billion was brought to the House, it was given speedy approval because we are there to serve our people.

    “This government will look critically to their demands. Asiwaju is known to everybody in Nigeria; when he was governor of Lagos State, we knew what he did, even concerning workers welfare. I can assure you that at the end of the day, everyone will laugh.

    “There are so many initiatives they are planning that will give succour to the effect of the subsidy. In all honesty, subsidy is like cancer we must do away with it.

    “Like last month, about 1.9 trillion was shared among the three tiers of government, which has never happened before. Subsidy has been a scam, and the only way to curb it was to remove it in the interest of our people. If there is no pain, there is no gain.

    “On the issue of the National Association of Resident Doctors, I want to appreciate my Rt. Hon. Speaker, Tajudeen Abass. He interacted with them and went to the President concerning their issue.

    “It is better to dialogue and negotiate than protest because, at the end of the day, it won’t do anybody any good. By going on strike, it means the problems being faced by the people are further compounded.

    “What we all should be concerned about is the way forward with the necessary solutions and not condemnation all the way.

    Adefarati said that “I think the direction we ought to be looking is at how social services in the areas of education, transportation, and health can be improved.

    Source: Vanguardngr.com

  • Nationwide strike: Stock homes with food, medicines, others, NLC tells Nigerians

    •Vows to cripple fuel supply, power grid, shut markets, schools, hospitals

    •Federal Government begs, fixes another meeting with labour for Monday

    •CSOs say labour can’t be trusted, SAN warns against disobeying court order

    The Federal Government will on Monday meet with the representatives of the organised labour in an effort to prevent the nationwide strike called by the Nigeria Labour Congress.

    However, the NLC has advised citizens to stock their homes with food items, medicines and other essential things ahead of the commencement of its seven-day strike to protest the removal of fuel subsidies and the escalating cost of living in the country.

    The warning, it noted, had become necessary because the strike would cripple the country as movement would be severely curtailed as commercial transport operators would withdraw their services, while markets, schools and healthcare facilities would be forced to shut down.

    The Assistant General Secretary, NLC, Chris Onyeka, said in an interview with one of our correspondents that the citizens should also minimise their movements so as to avoid being stranded.

    Sunday PUNCH reports that the NLC had given the government a seven-day ultimatum with threats of a nationwide strike scheduled to commence on Wednesday, August 2, 2023. The labour movement in a statement signed by its National President, Joe Ajaero, accused the Tinubu-led Federal Government of failing to meet up with the demands it presented to it following the removal of the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, which caused an astronomical rise in the pump price of the commodity.

    Following the announcement of the strike by the NLC, the government team immediately called for an emergency meeting with the organised labour comprising the NLC and Trade Union Congress with a follow-up meeting on Friday at the State House.

    However, officials of the organised labour angrily stormed out of the meeting following the alleged failure of the government team to show up.

    Onyeka noted that the labour team would meet with the government on Monday, adding that the outcome of the meeting would determine the next step.

    He said, “Nigerians should be prepared. That’s what we are saying. Being prepared means you have to stock food in your house and be economical with your movement at this particular point in time so as to avoid being stranded. It is going to be a nationwide mass protest and we are sure that it will affect every corner of the country. We are seriously mobilising across the nation. We are currently at work at the secretariat alongside the CSOs.

    “We may not shut down the power supply system, but as the protest goes on, we may shut down other places depending on the response of the government. The (Friday) meeting didn’t hold at all. The government side was not prepared. The representatives were not available. They didn’t show any seriousness towards what they were doing. One of the things we do is hold dialogues. We don’t run away from the table anytime they call us. We are having another meeting with them on Monday.”

    The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers, and the National Union of Electricity Employees, on Saturday, confirmed that they were mobilising their members to ground the supply of fuel and the national electricity grid from Wednesday in response to the planned mass protest called by the NLC.

    The General Secretary, NUPENG, Afolabi Olawale, told our correspondent, “The congress has taken a unanimous decision and it is mandatory that every affiliate should obey the directive of the Nigeria Labour Congress.”

    When probed further to confirm if NUPENG was mobilising its members to halt the lifting of petroleum products, Olawale replied, “That’s it. I’ve given you an answer.”

    On their part, electricity workers stated that they would shut the national power grid as it was binding on all employees in the sector to join the mass protest.

    The acting General Secretary, NUEE, Dominic Igwebuike, stated, “The NUEE is an affiliate of the NLC and I’ve told you that we will join the strike action.

    “The issue is that if there’s a deadlock between labour and the government; that means that the mass protest is still going on, and definitely electricity workers, as an affiliate of the NLC, will partake in the mass protest.

    “So, all workers in the power sector will join the mass protest on Wednesday, August 2, 2023. It is binding on every staff member to join the strike action. So, if it results in a blackout, the only option is for the government to listen to us if it wants power to return.

    “The government should listen to the Nigerian masses who are going through serious suffering right now. That is the only thing we are asking for. So, for now, the protest is going to hold, unless there is a further directive from the NLC.”

    The National Deputy President, TUC, Tommy Etim, blasted the government over the lack of seriousness shown so far with regard to the negotiations.

    “When we got to the Villa on Friday, we waited for almost two hours at the gate for clearance with no intervention. It was after two hours that we were allowed in.

    By the time we got to the point of the meeting, we realised that the team representing the government failed to show up. So, it is wrong to actually say labour stormed out of the meeting. How can labour storm out of a meeting that did not hold? We felt very disappointed because we did not expect this from the government,” he said.

    The National Executive Council of the NLC had on Friday endorsed the August 2 nationwide strike and mass protests proposed by the body over the recent hike in the pump price of petrol.

    However, the Federal Government had told the NLC that it was legally restrained from embarking on the planned nationwide strike due to the ruling of the National Industrial Court, which restrained organised labour from embarking on the strike.

    The steering committee members met the government delegation on Wednesday, where the two parties agreed to reconvene on Friday to get a brief from the government’s subcommittees on mass transit, compressed natural gas and cash transfer.

    The steering committee was set up by the Federal Government to draw up intervention plans to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal on Nigerians.

    Tinubu’s palliatives

    The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has assured Nigerians that the Federal Government will soon roll out social investment programmes to alleviate the sufferings of the masses, especially the poorest of the poor in the country in view of the removal of subsidy on fuel.

    He said at a programme to mark his 60th birthday in Ado Ekiti on Saturday, “The Federal Government will put palliatives in place to help the poorest of the poor. There is also another category of palliatives that will be rolled out for civil servants apart from the promised salary increment that will be done across states and at the federal level.

    Culled from Punch

  • FG will continue to dialogue with resident doctors, NLC says Speaker

    The Federal Government says it will continue to dialogue with the members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and the labour unions towards addressing their grievances.

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, said this after meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, on Wednesday in Abuja.

    He said the engagement with the president on the  strike by the resident doctors was enlightening as he showed great concern about their plight.

    ‘’We met with the president on the strike of the National Association of Resident Doctors. He asked us to continue to dialogue with them and tell them to give him more time.

    ‘’He told us that some of the issues raised by doctors were not known to him and he will like to resolve them as quickly as possible. I believe within the next coming days some actions would be taken,’’ Abbas said.

    Similarly, the Speaker said  the House would continue to dialogue towards meeting the demands of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress.

    ‘’We will invite them to come and sit so that we can hear their grievances and then we follow the same pattern of engaging them, pursueding them to give us a little to see how can be able to meet their expectations.’’

    ​It was gathered that the resident doctors​ started their strike on Wednesday as government failed to meet it demands.

    ​Part of their demands include  immediate payment of the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF); and immediate release of the circular on one-for-one replacement.

    It also includes the payment of skipping arrears and upward review of CONMESS in line with full salary restoration to the 2014 value of CONMESS​.

    ​The NLC has also given a seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to reverse all perceived anti-poor policies, including the recent hike in the pump price of petrolor face an indefinite nationwide strike from Aug. 2.

    Abbas appealed to the labour unions to give the new government of Tinubu more time to look into their demands with the aim of resolving them.