Federal Government and NLC set eight weeks deadline to conclude dialogue subsidy removal
Written by Joey Shekwonuzhibo on June 20, 2023
President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of the fuel subsidy on May 29, organised labour threatened to go on strike, alleging that the government did not put in place measures to cushion the effect of the subsidy removal.
To avert the strike, the federal government quickly convened a meeting with labour where demands were heard and two parties agreed to meet again on June 19.
At the meeting yesterday, the federal government and the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, and the Trade Union Congress, agreed that all the issues raised should be concluded within eight weeks.
In addition, the two parties also set up a Presidential Steering Committee to serve as a clearing house in coordinating the technical sub-committees on different items raised.
Delving into legal concerns on the news this morning, the National Industrial Court has declared that the order barring the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress from embarking on their planned strike subsists.
The court, as a result, ordered the parties to maintain the status quo and adjourned the matter until July 20, for a hearing.
You’ll remember that on June 7, the NLC and TUC had planned to embark on a nationwide strike in protest of the fuel subsidy removal.
The Federal Government, in reaction, instituted a suit to stop both unions, stating that the proposed strike might gravely affect the larger society and the well-being of the nation.
