The federal government on Thursday invited the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) for dialogue over the threats to embark on strike.
Recall that the organised labour had threatened to embark on another strike over what they described as government’s refusal to fulfill agreement
it entered with the labour unions.
But Mohammed Idris, the minister of information and national orientation, in his reaction to the threats said government is ready for a round table discussion, so as to arrive at amicable resolutions to any differences.
The Minister while answering questions from State House journalists after meeting with President in Abuja on Thursday, dismissed claims that government doesn’t keep to it’s promises to the labour unions is untrue.
The Minister said resorting to industrial actions have never been in the interest of anyone.
Idris, appealed to the organised labour to shelve it’s plans to embark on strike over alleged government failure to honour agreements it entered into with the unions and the current economic challenges facing the country.
Recall that the NLC and TUC had issued 14 day nationwide strike notice to the federal government over the worsening suffering in the country and the non-implementation of 16-point agreement entered into in October 2, 2023.
The leadership of the two labour centers expressed displeasure that “despite efforts by the Organised Labour towards ensuring industrial peace, the government seems not over the mass suffering and hardship across the country”.
“Well, we appeal with labour to always see reason with the government. It is not in government’s interest for the labour to continue to go on strike.
“We appeal with labour, let them come again, around the table to continue to have engagements and conversations around whatever gray areas they think they have in some of these agreements that have already been signed.”
” I think government keeps its promises. If there are other things that they (NLC, TUC) think they are concerned about, I think that they will sit down with government and government is ever ready to listen to labour so that we can have an amicable resolution to all these.”
