NLC, TUC suspend planned strike over subsidy removal

The Organized Labour in the country has suspended the planned nationwide strike schedule to begin on Wednesday over the removal of petrol subsidy.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) announced the suspension of the proposed nationwide strike and mass protest after a meeting of its leaders and representatives of the federal government.

The labour centres and the federal government are to reconvene on June 19 to further the negotiation.

ValidView Network can report that Monday’s meeting was the third between Labour union and the government over the petrol subsidy removal.

At the end of the meeting, organised labour and the government team agreed to establish a joint committee to review the proposal for any wage increase or award and establish a framework and timeline for implementation.

Part of the resolution also was for the federal government, the TUC and the NLC to review the World Bank-financed cash transfer scheme and propose the inclusion of low-income earners in the programme.

Others are that the federal government and organised labour would revive the CNG conversion programme earlier agreed with Labor centres in 2021 and work out detailed implementation and timing.

They are to review issues hindering effective delivery in the education sector and propose solutions for implementation as well as look into and establish the framework for completion of the rehabilitation of the nation’s refineries.

The federal government is to provide a framework for the maintenance of roads and the expansion of rail networks across the country.

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ValidView Network had earlier reported that the national industrial court had restrained TUC and NLC from embarking on the industrial action.

Delivering the ruling on Monday, the presiding judge, Justice Olufunke Anuwe, said the unions should halt the planned strike pending the hearing and determination of the ex parte motion filed by the federal government.