EDO NUT, NLC DISAGREE OVER PLANNED STRIKE ACTION
Contrary to the four day ultimatum given by the Nigeria Labour
Congress, NLC, last Sunday to the Federal Government to accept its
demand for the consequential adjustment of salaries, based on the new
minimum wage, or risk a nation-wide strike, the Edo state Chapter of
the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, has instructed their members to
report to their duty posts and disregard the planned nationwide strike
action as planned by the NLC.
In a letter signed by the Assistant Secretary General of the Edo state
wing of the NUT, Mike Modesty Itua, to the Head teachers of schools as
well as other stake holders across the state, the teachers in Edo
state were instructed to remain in their duty posts and disregard the
decision of NLC on the proposed strike action.
The ultimatum which ended on Wednesday, though, was said to have been
called off by the Nigeria Labour Congress, wouldn’t have taken effect
in the schools in Edo state because of the stance of the Edo NUT.
However, the Labour and Employment Minister Senator Chris Ngige called
for a meeting between NLC and the Joint National Public Service
Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) and doused the brewing tension hence
averted the strike as negotiations between the NLC and the Joint
National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) continues.
The minister said: “NLC and TUC leadership know the rule and what the
ILO statutes say on such situation. So, we will continue our effort in
negotiating with them”. However, the Secretary-General of the
Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), Alade Lawal,
described the minister’s comment as a political gimmick meant to
distract the union.
Ngige had told members of the Nigeria Employers Consultative
Association (NECA) last Thursday that the Federal Government had not
commenced total implementation of the N30,000 new minimum wage because
organised labour mistakenly perceived consequential adjustment in
salary as total salary review.
Lawal, however, said the NLC had earlier written to the government for
general salary review for workers.
After the first phase of negotiations collapsed due to percentage
differences between the two parties, the Federal Government’s
negotiating team and the JNPNC, which is representing labour unions,
are expected to meet again.
If the position of the Edo NUT on the planned strike action is
anything to go by, it sure spoke volumes with respect to the support
they have for the Executive governor of Edo state, Governor Godwin
Obaseki. It will be recalled that, they massively came out in support
of Governor Obaseki’s second tenure, and were also instrumental to the
award that was recently conferred on him in Abuja recently.
Contrary to the four day ultimatum given by the Nigeria Labour
Congress, NLC, last Sunday to the Federal Government to accept its
demand for the consequential adjustment of salaries, based on the new
minimum wage, or risk a nation-wide strike, the Edo state Chapter of
the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, has instructed their members to
report to their duty posts and disregard the planned nationwide strike
action as planned by the NLC.
In a letter signed by the Assistant Secretary General of the Edo state
wing of the NUT, Mike Modesty Itua, to the Head teachers of schools as
well as other stake holders across the state, the teachers in Edo
state were instructed to remain in their duty posts and disregard the
decision of NLC on the proposed strike action.
The ultimatum which ended on Wednesday, though, was said to have been
called off by the Nigeria Labour Congress, wouldn’t have taken effect
in the schools in Edo state because of the stance of the Edo NUT.
However, the Labour and Employment Minister Senator Chris Ngige called
for a meeting between NLC and the Joint National Public Service
Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) and doused the brewing tension hence
averted the strike as negotiations between the NLC and the Joint
National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) continues.
The minister said: “NLC and TUC leadership know the rule and what the
ILO statutes say on such situation. So, we will continue our effort in
negotiating with them”. However, the Secretary-General of the
Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), Alade Lawal,
described the minister’s comment as a political gimmick meant to
distract the union.
Ngige had told members of the Nigeria Employers Consultative
Association (NECA) last Thursday that the Federal Government had not
commenced total implementation of the N30,000 new minimum wage because
organised labour mistakenly perceived consequential adjustment in
salary as total salary review.
Lawal, however, said the NLC had earlier written to the government for
general salary review for workers.
After the first phase of negotiations collapsed due to percentage
differences between the two parties, the Federal Government’s
negotiating team and the JNPNC, which is representing labour unions,
are expected to meet again.
If the position of the Edo NUT on the planned strike action is
anything to go by, it sure spoke volumes with respect to the support
they have for the Executive governor of Edo state, Governor Godwin
Obaseki. It will be recalled that, they massively came out in support
of Governor Obaseki’s second tenure, and were also instrumental to the
award that was recently conferred on him in Abuja recently.
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