NLC leaders meet Saraki, Dogara, say strike continues
NLC leaders meet Saraki, Dogara, say
strike continues
May 20, 2016
The President, Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr. Ayuba Wabba,
and his team met for about 40 minutes behind closed-
doors on Thursday evening, with the Senate President,
Bukola Saraki, to discuss the nationwide strike over the
hike in fuel price.
Wabba told journalists after the parley that the strike
would continue until the Federal Government resumed
talks with the NLC, under his leadership, on the crisis.
The NLC team, however, told the Senate leadership that
the workers were ready to go back to the negotiation table
with the Federal Government over the fuel matter any
time invitation to that effect was extended to them.
He debunked reports that labour leaders walked out on
the negotiation team of the Federal Government on
Tuesday night before the strike commenced on
Wednesday.
Wabba said, “We are trying to engage government in
negotiations essentially about the trade issue, about the
electricity tariff but importantly about the increase in the
pump price of PMS from N87 to N145 and we have
assured the Senate President that at no point had we
walked out on the government.
“In fact, when those issues were presented and the
position of government was made known to us, we did not
actually agree and we requested that we excused them.
“We have not at any point walked out on government and
we are still open to discussion and dialogue because we
are also doing this in the best interest of all of us as
working class and also the larger population of citizens.
“But as things are now, the strike continues until needed
resolutions are arrived at in further negotiations with the
Federal Government.”
Saraki said the meeting with the leadership of the NLC
was part of the process to find a lasting solution to the
impasse and trying to see how the upper chamber could
bring an end to the strike.
He said, “I am happy to report that the NLC has shown its
commitment to continue to dialogue with government and
our role is to see that we facilitate and ensure that the
dialogue can address the issues.
“I am encouraged by what they have said and confident
that we would be able to do this. We will play our own role
in facilitating and ensuring that we can bring the two
parties together so that we can find a lasting solution that
will reduce the hardships that Nigerians are going
through.”
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives on Thursday
called for the payment of a “living wage” to Nigerian
workers to cushion the effects of the N145 new pump price
of petrol on the people.
This was an indirect support for a rise in the national
minimum wage from N18,000, but the House did not say
how much a new minimum wage could be.
Labour has since demanded an increase of the minimum
wage to N56,000.
Lawmakers also appealed to the leadership of the NLC to
suspend the strike.
The Speaker of the House, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, spoke with
reporters soon after a meeting between the House and the
leadership of the NLC ended about 6.45pm on Thursday at
the National Assembly.
Copyright PUNCH.
strike continues
May 20, 2016
The President, Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr. Ayuba Wabba,
and his team met for about 40 minutes behind closed-
doors on Thursday evening, with the Senate President,
Bukola Saraki, to discuss the nationwide strike over the
hike in fuel price.
Wabba told journalists after the parley that the strike
would continue until the Federal Government resumed
talks with the NLC, under his leadership, on the crisis.
The NLC team, however, told the Senate leadership that
the workers were ready to go back to the negotiation table
with the Federal Government over the fuel matter any
time invitation to that effect was extended to them.
He debunked reports that labour leaders walked out on
the negotiation team of the Federal Government on
Tuesday night before the strike commenced on
Wednesday.
Wabba said, “We are trying to engage government in
negotiations essentially about the trade issue, about the
electricity tariff but importantly about the increase in the
pump price of PMS from N87 to N145 and we have
assured the Senate President that at no point had we
walked out on the government.
“In fact, when those issues were presented and the
position of government was made known to us, we did not
actually agree and we requested that we excused them.
“We have not at any point walked out on government and
we are still open to discussion and dialogue because we
are also doing this in the best interest of all of us as
working class and also the larger population of citizens.
“But as things are now, the strike continues until needed
resolutions are arrived at in further negotiations with the
Federal Government.”
Saraki said the meeting with the leadership of the NLC
was part of the process to find a lasting solution to the
impasse and trying to see how the upper chamber could
bring an end to the strike.
He said, “I am happy to report that the NLC has shown its
commitment to continue to dialogue with government and
our role is to see that we facilitate and ensure that the
dialogue can address the issues.
“I am encouraged by what they have said and confident
that we would be able to do this. We will play our own role
in facilitating and ensuring that we can bring the two
parties together so that we can find a lasting solution that
will reduce the hardships that Nigerians are going
through.”
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives on Thursday
called for the payment of a “living wage” to Nigerian
workers to cushion the effects of the N145 new pump price
of petrol on the people.
This was an indirect support for a rise in the national
minimum wage from N18,000, but the House did not say
how much a new minimum wage could be.
Labour has since demanded an increase of the minimum
wage to N56,000.
Lawmakers also appealed to the leadership of the NLC to
suspend the strike.
The Speaker of the House, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, spoke with
reporters soon after a meeting between the House and the
leadership of the NLC ended about 6.45pm on Thursday at
the National Assembly.
Copyright PUNCH.
Comments