By Ovedhe Hezekiah
Meeting between the federal government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) ended in deadlock, on Monday 18th September.
The meeting which was convened by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, failed to address any of the issues raised by Congress as reasons for the proposed strike.
Lalong expressed optimism that though it could not immediately address the issues raised by the Nigerian workers, most of their concerns will be resolved before the deadline.
“We must also recognize the economic realities that confront us. As we address the concerns of our workforce, we must be mindful of striking a balance that promotes economic growth and secures sustainable progress for our nation.
“Today, I call upon each one of you to join hands in an open-minded and constructive dialogue, enabling us to bridge any gaps that may exist between the interests of workers and the ultimate goal of driving economic advancement.
NLC President, Ajaero said: ” in the ultimatum we gave and in the NEC resolution, the issue of NURTW was clearly stated and it was at the time the issue has not degenerated the way it is now. That was why we had to bring it along with issues.
“On the other issues you can see that there were no agreement on any, there is no CNG anywhere and refineries are not working neither gas.
“Nothing has been done on the issue of wage award and cash transfer or the ASUU issues. However, we believe that between now and the next few days, when the ultimatum expires, something will happen.”
He said based on the ultimatum issued by the congress, if no progress was made before the expiration, an indefinite strike would commence.
