- Meets with FG team today
Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
The organised labour has vowed to go ahead with the planned industrial action next tomorrow if the federal government fails to accede to its demand to adjust salaries of federal public service workers on grade levels 7 to 14 by 29 per cent and those on 15 to 17 by 24 per cent.
This is coming as the federal government at the weekend engaged in series of informal lobby to get the unions to accept its offer on the consequential adjustment for the new minimum wage and to call off its Wednesday’s deadline to embark on industrial action.
THISDAY gathered that the meeting earlier fixed for Tuesday may have been brought forward today so as to enable both sides trash out their differences before the strike deadline.
There were also indications that both government and labour may shift their positions to make way for a compromise deal at the end of resumed negotiations.
However, the President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Quadri Olaleye said at the weekend that labour will not call off its planned industrial action scheduled to begin on Wednesday except federal government reaches agreement with the workers on the full implementation of the minimum wage before close of work on that day.
Reacting to reports that labour was under pressure to drop the strike threat or extend its deadline, Olaleye said: “ there is no government pressure that will make us succumb, our mandate remain the same and our ultimatum remains the same. We have not changed our position. Government has called us for a meeting on Monday. “’Our energy remains high and we have started mobilising towards total strike action. We will continue mobilisation and our people are ready. We not relented because we have not seen any positive change. Our target is still Wednesday “.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, had solicited the assistance of the leadership of the Nigeria Employers Consultative Council (NECA) to help persuade the labour movement to accept what government has to offer in view of the prevailing economic situation in the country.
Ngige urged the Director General of NECA, Mr. Timothy Olawale who paid him courtesy visit last week that NECA should help convince the labour side to drop further agitation and accept the government’s proposal.
