Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia
Five days after workers in Abia State embarked on strike, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday suspended the industrial action following an agreement between the organised labour and the Abia State government.
The national leadership of NLC had declared industrial action against Abia State government on February 28, 2023 after the expiration of 14-day ultimatum issued to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to offset arrears of workers’ salaries and pensioners retirement benefits.
With the effect of the strike biting hard on Abia residents, especially the attendant power outage, the government was compelled to negotiate with the organised labour to end the industrial action.
At a news conference the parties announced their agreement as outlined in a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at the end of negotiations.
The government team was headed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chris Ezem, while the NLC delegation was led by the Assistant General Secretary, Chris Onyeka.
The SSG said that the government had found itself in a situation where workers had embarked on strike in the last few days, adding that “we engaged extensively and exhaustively with NLC” in order to restore industrial harmony.
He pledged that the government would remain resolute in implementing the agreement reached with the organised labour and urged workers to have hope and confidence in the government’s commitment to their welfare.
Onyeka on his part said that the national leadership of NLC “heard the cries of our people in Abia” and decided to come to their rescue, adding that it is inhuman for the Abia government to treat workers like inconsequential people”.
Onyeka said that the two parties negotiated on “a basket of issues” and although “we didn’t get all we wanted” however enough progress has been made to warrant the suspension of the strike action.
“With this agreement reached, NLC hereby suspends this strike; we’ll restore industrial peace,” he announced.
The representatives of the organised labour and government signed a 13-point memorandum of understanding outlining now the arrears of salaries, promotion allowances, pensions and gratuities would be paid.
However, the leadership of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives and the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria vehemently kicked against the agreement, saying that it didn’t go far enough.
The state chairman of NANNMW, Ugochi Akoma, told journalists after the press conference that her union would not accept the agreement as the interest of nurses and health workers at the Abia State University Teaching Hospital(ABSUTH), Aba and the Health Management Board (HMB) were not considered.
“We are not part of this agreement and it is not binding on us,” she declared, adding that during the negotiation “we stood our ground that we are not accepting one month salary.”.
In the MoU, the parties agreed that “government will embark on staff audit of ABSUTH to ascertain the valid nominal roll of the institution” and then pay a month salary after which the modality for offsetting the 23 months arrears would be worked out.
Aroma said that it was wrong for the NLC representatives to have agreed on a month salary for ABSUTH workers in a situation where they were overburdened with mounting arrears of salaries extending to over two years.
The union leader said that the two industrial unions were already on strike before the national leadership of NLC declared the now suspended general strike for Abia workers, adding that nurses and health workers would continue with their indefinite strike.
