NLC strike update: TUC and Nigeria Labour Congress call off strike over fuel subsidy removal

Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) don suspend di nationwide strike wey dem bin plan to start on Wednesday sake of di increase in di prices of fuel due to subsidy removal.

Afta hours of meeting wit di goment, President of di NLC, Joe Ajaero on Monday night confam to BBC say dem make di decision to allow further consultations.

Di NLC and di Trade Union Congress, dey expected to kontinu negotiations wit di goment.

Dem plan to meet in two weeks’ time “to agree on how to implement di new framework.”

Earlier on Monday, one National Industrial court bin order di labour unions to stay away from any planned industrial action until dem listen to di application wey Nigerian goment file against di labour union on June 19.

Increase on minimum wage and tax holidays for workers na some of di demands di labour unions dey ask from di goment to protect against di effect of wetin subsidy removal don cause.

Last Wednesday, fuel marketers increase di price of petrol to at least $1 per litre across di kontri – up by about 200%.

Dis don affect di cost of transportation, food items and oda commodities, while di minimum wage still dey around 30,000 naira (about $65).

Goment go court to stop strike

On Monday tori come out say court don stop di organized Labour from embarking on dia strike.

Nigeria goment bin go court go file suit to stop di strike.

Na Justice Olufunke Anuwe of di National Industrial Court for Abuja give di restraining order.

She say make di planned strike for 7 June dey on hold until di hearing and determination of di main suit.

NLC and TUC dey prepare to meet goment officials to kontinu dia tok-tok on di fuel subsidy matter.

Agreement wey goment reach wit organized Labour

Di union bin don prepare wetin dem need to carry out di strike as dem insist say make goment reverse di price of fuel from over N500 to N197.

Already, union of some goment agencies don direct dia members to comply wit di directive wey for take effect from early mor-mor on Wednesday.

Afta dia long tok on Monday night, leaders of di organized Labour and goment team bring out communiqué wey Speaker of di House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamola read.

Oga Gbajabiamila wey be di leader of goment delegation say;

  • Di Federal Government, di TUC and di NLC to establish a joint committee to review di proposal for any wage increase or award and establish a framework and timeline for implementation.
  • Di Federal Government, di TUC and di NLC to review World Bank Financed Cash transfer scheme and propose inclusion of low-income earners in di program.
  • Di Federal Government, di TUC and di NLC to revive di CNG conversion program dem earlier agree wit Labor centers for 2021 and work out detailed implementation and timing.
  • Di Labour centers and di Federal goment to review issues wey dey affect di effective delivery in di education sector and propose solutions for implementation.
  • Di Labour centers and di Federal goment to review and establish di framework for completion of di rehabilitation of kontri refineries.
  • Di Federal goment to provide a framework for di maintenance of roads and expansion of rail networks across di kontri.
  • All oda demands TUC submit give Federal goment go dey assessed by di joint committee.

Dem agree say TUC and NLC go kontinu di ongoing engagements wit di Federal goment and “secure closure on di resolutions above.”

Also, di negotiation teams go reconvene on 19 June 19 2023 to agree on di implementation of di frameworks.

Wetin be Fuel Subsidy?

New fuel price for Nigeria

BBC

Fuel subsidy na form of goment intervention to reduce di cost of fuel.

Goment dey provide direct financial support to oil companies, so dem go fit reduce di price of di product to consumers (Nigerians) to make am dey affordable for dem.

Nigeria na one of Africa largest producers of crude oil and e dey rely heavily on dis resource for dia economic growth.

Sake of say Nigeria no get refinery, dem gatz export dia crude oil go anoda kontri come import di refined crude oil. Di money wey dem go take refine dis crude oil dey expensive and make e for no be burden on consumers, goment dey pay some part of di money to marketers.

Dia fore goment dey control di price and na di amount dem tell marketers to sell, dem go sell am.

Dis na how common pipo dey benefit from goment, according to dem.

Di official reason for oil subsidy na to reduce di effect of rising global oil prices on Nigerians.

Fuel subsidy don dey di kontri since di 1970s.

E become normal tin for 1977, under di regime of General Olusegun Obasanjo wit di promulgation of di Price Control Act wey make am illegal for some products (including petrol) to dey sold above di regulated price.

Between 2006-2018, Nigeria don spend about 10 trillion Naira on petroleum subsidies.