Tag: Labour

  • NLC Solicits Labour, Govt Synergy To Enhance Productivity

    NLC Solicits Labour, Govt Synergy To Enhance Productivity

    From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja

    The National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero has solicited for a synergy between the Organised Labour and the three tiers of Governments across the country to enhance productivity.

    The NLC Boss made the call while commissioning the newly built Kogi NLC Secretariat under the leadership of Onu Johnson Edoka in Lokoja.

    The NLC President who was represented by the General Secretary of the union, Emmanuel Ogwaja, noted that peaceful co-existence among labour and government would no doubt enhance productivity of the nation’s workforce.

    Ajaero said that no meaningful development can take place in an atmosphere of rancour and misunderstanding between labour and government.

    He commended the unity amongst the various unions in the state stressing that when workers unit, their struggles would yield fruitful results in the society.

    In his welcome address, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC) in Kogi State, Comrade Onuh Edoka disclosed that the project was soley executed through the union’s initiative and funding and no Government in power can seal it’s secretariat for whatever reasons.

    According to him, numerous challenges were encountered during the building project, as the union got little support from stakeholders in the State.

    “No government can come out and close this Secretariat if workers embark on strike. This Secretariat belongs to us. The Government offered little support in building of our Secretariat. We know what is happening in other states where NLC secretariat was built by the State Government, so we are careful that is why we went all out to source for fund to build NLC secretariat by ourselves with little support from Government”

    Edoka, who will be handing over to a new Executive of NLC this week appreciated Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello for his support towards ensuring that NLC in Kogi State has their own Secretariat for over 30 years of their existence.

    Edoka who, however, commend the Auditor General of Local Government, Alhaji Usman Ododo for his support in the completion of the Secretariat appealed to Kogi Workers to always support NLC towards achieving their goal in the State.

  • Strike: Why we must have clear, unambiguous agreement with labour – Gov Sule Insists

    Strike: Why we must have clear, unambiguous agreement with labour – Gov Sule Insists

    From Abel Leonard, Lafia

    Nasarawa State governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, has given reasons why his administration will prefer to have a clear, unambiguous agreement, with the organized labour in the state, before calling off the ongoing strike action embarked upon by civil servants.

    Engineer Sule made this known while hosting a meeting between government and the organized labour, at the Government House, on Friday.

    The governor, who picked holes in the agreement about to be signed, which will signal the end of the four-day strike, called on the organize labour, to review the terms of the agreement, in order to clarify issues and to remove any room for ambiguity.

    Engineer Sule appealed to officials of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), to first resolve the impasse involving the members of the Medical and Health Union of Nigeria (MHUN), who were initially part of the negotiations, but who later pulled out, with the agreement about to be signed.

    Members of the MHUN reportedly pulled out of the ongoing negotiation, because their members are demanding that payment for the outstanding promotion, should commence in June not August 2021, as contained in the agreement.

    According to the governor, it will be morally wrong and unfair, for his administration, to segregate among civil servants, while paying arrears of promotions, just as he emphasized that, he will not accept a situation where state civil servants are paid one hundred percent salary and pension, while workers and retirees at the local government level, recieve fifty percent of salary and pension.

    Drawing from his private sector experience, Engineer Sule, said agreements with the organized labour must be clear and concise, and shouldn’t leave room for disagreement during implementation.

    Specifically, the governor sought clarification on the total amount for the payment of outstanding promotions and annual increment, mutually agreed upon, to commence from August 2021, pointing out that, he will not be a party to an agreement that could lead to failure on the part of government to execute as a result of dwindling resources.

    “I don’t want a situation where we agree something with you and then when the time comes, I will give excuse.

    “I want the moment I agree, on day one, I will meet that agreement, because I will go to any extent, to make sure I meet that agreement,” he stated.

    Engineer Sule wants government and the organized labour to agree on a specific amount for the payment monthly, because he should be able to know if the state can afford the financial burden.

    The governor accepted that, while government commences the payment of the N30, 000 minimum wage for civil servants on level 1 to 6, negotiation will continue to determine the consequential increment, for workers from level 7 upwards.

    Regarding labour’s demand for government to pay the outstanding August 2016 salary owed some workers in the state, Engineer Sule, directed that the arrears be paid before the end of this month.

    In a further bid, to solidify existing relationship with the organized labour in the state, Engineer Sule, expressed the willingness of his administration, to open the books to members of the NLC and TUC, to ensure transparency in future negotiations.

    The governor used the opportunity of the meeting to thank traditional rulers in the state, led by the Emir of Lafia, HRH Justice Sidi Bage (rtd), for their role in the amicable resolution of the workers’ strike.

    Engineer Sule equally thanked members of the 11-man committee setup by the government in the wake of the strike, to negotiate with the organized labour, chaired by the state deputy governor, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe.

    The governor commended the committee for resolving the impasse within 72 hours.
    While also commending members of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) and Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), for their refusal to join the ongoing strike, Engineer appealed to the officials of labour, not to discriminate against them as punishment for not participating in the strike action.

    The governor then appreciated the organized labour for the maturity and professional conduct during the strike, as demonstrated by the opening of offices on the second day of the strike, as demanded by government.

    Engineer Sule then urged officials of the NLC and TUC, to return to the negotiating table with the MHWUN, with a view to arriving at a common ground, so that the agreement between government and organized labour, could be signed latest on Monday, which may also signal the end of the ongoing strike action.

    Commenting on behalf of the organized labour, state NLC Chairman, Comrade Yusuf Iya, explained that the MHWUN, pulled out of the negotiations, because they are insisting that their implementation should commence in June, not August 2021, as contained in the agreement.

    Comrade Iya, assured that they will return to the negotiating table with the MHWUN, with a view to arriving at a common ground.

  • NASU, SSANU Meet With Labour Minister Over Imminent Strike

    The Federal Government is currently meeting with members of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities, (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Universities (SSANU) over the strike declared by the unions a week ago.

    Present at the meeting which is holding in Abuja is the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, the SSANU President, Mohammed Ibrahim; the spokesperson of the joint action committee of SSANU and NASU, Peters Adeyemi; among others.

    The strike was declared on Friday by the joint action Committee of SSANU and NASU following their disagreement with the sharing formula of the N40 billion earned allowances which the Federal Government disbursed to the universities.

    The non-teaching staff of the universities accused the government of giving priority to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

    The declared strike is expected to commence on Friday, February 5, even as the non-academic staff are demanding that their members be taken off the government’s Integrated Personnel Payroll Information (IPPIS).

    They are also asking for a review of the sharing formula for the universities earned allowances between the teaching and non-teaching staff.

    “The joint action committee of SSANU and NASU hereby resolves as follows: That members of NASU/SSANU shall embark on an indefinite, comprehensive and total strike with effect from February 5, 2021,” Adeyemi, said last Friday.

    “Two weeks’ notice effective from today, Friday, January 22, 2021, is hereby given to the government and relevant stakeholders of this development.

    “The October 2020 memorandum of understanding (MOU) resolved that the compliance of SSANU/NASU with respect to IPPIS would be corrected within two weeks.

    “But three months after, there has been no correction of these anomalies leading to a high level of restiveness among our members who have been short-changed on account of the problem caused by IPPIS.”

    Details later…

  • Warning strike: Reps invite ASUU, Labour, Education Ministers

    Warning strike: Reps invite ASUU, Labour, Education Ministers

    The House of Representatives has invited the Minister of Education, Labour and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to find a lasting solution to ongoing warning strike by the union.

    Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila This was sequel to the unanimous adoption of a motion of Urgent Matters of Public Importance by Rep. Dachung Bagos (PDP-Plateau) at the plenary on Tuesday.

    Moving the motion earlier, Bagos said that ASUU had on March 9, after its National Executive Council meeting (NEC) held in Enugu embarked on a two-week warning strike.

    Bagos said that schools had just resumed and that the strike if allowed to take full effect would cost a lot of students extra academic year.

    “Also concerned, that the continued yearly strike by ASUU is becoming a national embarrassment to the country.

    “It is worrisome that the continued strike has encouraged education tourism of Nigerians to other countries,” he said.

    Rep. Kwewum Shawulu (PDP-Taraba) said that Nigerians spent over 300 million pounds to study in the United Kingdom and over N5 billion as school fees in Ghana.

    He said that parents were sending their children to study in countries where Nigeria did not have comparative advantage.

    The Rep said that more than one million children applied for admission to universities in the country annually.

    Shawulu said that the universities in the country admitted about 250,000 of the 800,000 applicants in the country.

    The lawmaker recommended that the procedure of owning private universities be made easier of individuals and groups to admit the rest 800,000.

    Shawulu called on the house to broaden its interaction with ASUU and the government to boost investment in the sector.

    He said that Nigerian universities are challenged with poor facilities like e-library, urging the leadership of the house to also factor in everything affecting the smooth operation of the schools.

    In his ruling, the Speaker of the House, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila mandated the Clerk to issue letters to the relevant stakeholders for a meeting with him on Wednesday at 9 a.m. (NAN)