Organised Labour Explains Suspension of Planned Protest in Rivers

Organised Labour Explains Suspension of Planned Protest in Rivers

Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt

The Organised Labour has said it suspended the planned protest scheduled for yesterday in Rivers State because of the agreement it reached with the state government after a closed-door meeting.

Reading the agreement at the Government House in Port Harcourt, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, said the parties agreed to sign the agreement on the implementation of the new national minimum wage and consequential adjustments.

He announced that the parties also agreed that the state NLC secretariat that was sealed for the correction of structural defects would be unsealed, while Government continues with correction work, if any.

He also stated that the state government would immediately restore the remittance of check-off dues and pay all outstanding arrears to the respective labour unions.

According to him, the state government would also pay the salaries withheld from health workers due to the 2017 strike action.

The NLC president also said the parties agreed to set up a tripartite committee to resolve the adjustment of pensions in line with the constitution and payment of pension and gratuity.

The parties, he said, also agreed to take steps to discontinue all on-going litigations in relation to hitherto disputed matters.

Wabba added that no worker would be victimised on the account of his or her involvement in the industrial dispute with the state government.

He commended the state Governor, Nyesom Wike, for his statesmanship that facilitated the resolution of the dispute.

Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Tammy Danagogo; state Head of Service, Rufus Godwins; state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, and Dr. Ayebaesin Beredugo signed on behalf of Rivers State Government.

General Secretary of NLC, Emmanuel Ugboaja; Secretary-General of TUC, Musa Lawal; Chairman of Rivers State chapter of NLC, Mrs. Beatrice Itubo; Chairman of TUC in the state, Austin Jonah; JPSNC leader, Chuku Emecheta, and the state Secretary-General of TUC, Obi Fortune, signed on behalf of the Organised Labour.

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