FEC approves FG/Labour Oct. 2 agreement

Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting has approved a 30-day implementation plan for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) reached between the Federal Government and the Organized Labour, represented by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).

The Federal Government had on October 2 announced reaching an MoU with the Organised Labour to forestall a planned October 3 nationwide industrial action by the labour unions slated for October 3.

Following the MoU, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its sister group, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) announced suspension of their industrial action slated to commence from October 3, after reaching an agreement with the federal Government, Monday.

The Organised Labour announced in a communiqué issued on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) reached between the Federal Government, the NLC and the TUC over disputes arising from the withdrawal of subsidy on pump price of imported Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also called petrol.

The parties to the communiqué also committed to a joint visitation to the petroleum refineries to ascertain their rehabilitation status.

They further agreed that all parties will henceforth abide by the dictates of Social dialogue in all future engagements.

The organized Labour and the Government representatives also approved that the mutually signed Memorandum shall be filed with the relevant Court of competent jurisdiction within one (1) week as consent judgment by the Federal Government.

The NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, TUC President Comrade (Engr) Festus Osifo and Comrade Nuhu A. Toro Secretary General signed on behalf of the Organised Labour.

While on the Federal Government team the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Hon. Dr Nkeiruka Onyejeocha And the  Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mallam Mohammed Idris signed the communiqué.

Meanwhile, briefing State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), Monday,  presided over by President Bola Tinubu, at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja, Minister of Labour and Employment, Mr Simon Lalong said a Memorandum was presented to the council on the implementation of the agreement with labour.

“We presented a memo from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment and the memo was basically on the agreement between government and the labour. You are already aware that 15 items are parts of the agreement.

“But we went beyond mere agreement, we told them that something different this time is happening because one, part of the agreement is to file it in the court of law which we have set the process already.

“And the other one was the presidential approval. There cannot be any presidential approval more than the Federal Executive Council. So we presented them to the Federal Executive Council. We analyzed every aspect of the agreement to show its genuineness and also provide for a harmonious and good industrial relationship and that was why it was presented and it was approved for implementation.

“It was agreed that within 30 days, there must be evidence of implementation and that was the basis of presenting to the Federal Executive Council the memo the Federal Executive Council also approved it and within these 30 days, we will go on with the implementation of the agreement between labour and government.”

Speaking on item six of the MoU which was on the government’s  interference in the activities of the democratically elected leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW and the mandate to the Minister of Labour to resolve the crisis in the union on or before October 13, the Minister said he had met with the various factions.

“Item six in the MoU is about interference specifically with issues that were about road transport workers. Immediately the next day, we embarked on meetings between the two organisations.

“As of today, they have already reached out and have concluded that of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN, today they are making a report to the ministry about their agreement because they went into agreement too and we are also going to get back to their parent association.

“The next one is the NURTW. Last week we were with them. Of course, if some of you were there, you knew why we postponed it, I reminded them that we are keeping to the date of the agreement but they said they cannot strictly keep to the date because it is very important to them that we realized the aim. So we shifted the meeting till tomorrow. Today, we are going to get the report, and by tomorrow we will fix a meeting.

“The reason why we presented these items to the Federal Executive Council is for them to note and approve that after these things we will not want to be tolerating interference into union activities.

“But those that are pending are within the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment. Our own is to dispense with conflicts and we are going to continue to do that these two items we have mentioned, were the particular things they hammered on when we met. By God’s grace in the next few days, those are going to be sorted out. “