FG, labour agree on wage increment for all workers
The Federal Government and labour unions rose from their meeting on Sunday with an agreement that all categories of workers should benefit from the provisional wage increment announced by President Bola Tinubu in his Independence Day nationwide address.
The president had on Sunday morning announced a wage increment of N25,000 for lower cadre workers for six months.
However, after a four-hour closed door meeting, Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, said that the president agreed that all categories of workers will benefit from the wage award.
He said that other issues agreed on would be announced after the unions meet with their various organs by Monday.
Gbajabiamila said that the government and the unions were all working for the good of the country and its citizens.
‘’We hope labour will convene their meeting tomorrow to present these agreements to their members and we pray that they will call off the strike by Tuesday, for the benefit of the workers and the country.”
The President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, said that the union had got a “promissory note” from the government to take back to its members, adding that the final decision would be communicated thereafter.
“We have looked at all the promissory notes from the government and how to translate it to reality and make it workable; we are going to take it to our organs and review it.
“We are hopeful that our organs will take a look at them and give a fresh mandate on what next to do,’’ he said.
NAN reports that NLC and TUC had announced the commencement of indefinite nationwide strike from Tuesday over the excruciating hardships the removal of fuel subsidy workers and other Nigerians go through.
The meeting was attended by Minister of Labour and Employment Simon Lalong and Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkiruka Onyejeocha.
Others were Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris as well ministers of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu, Finance, Wale Edun and that of Trade, Investment and Industry, Doris Uzoka-Anite.