Posted by Strike Action: National Assembly’s Mediation Meeting Between FG, Organised Labour Ends on Positive Note. Organized Labour to Consult NEC, Organs on Suspension of Strike
Below are the resolutions from the meeting, as issued by NASS:
On a related development, the National Assembly-facilitated mediation meeting between the Federal Government and Organised Labour ended well.
The meeting, which was held late Sunday at the Senate, was at the instance of the National Assembly Leadership as part of efforts to forestall the effects of a nationwide strike action.
At the meeting, all stakeholders noted that the position of organized labor is justifiable, taking into consideration the general state of the economy in the country. They agreed that an ongoing negotiation was necessary to continue to allow a continuous process of discussions regarding the issue of wages.
Speaking at the same event, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, cautioned, “While it is important to address the genuine issues of Organised Labour, it must be done with an understanding that an unmanageable wage increase could set off inflationary trends with the potential of job losses. We have to strike a balance in our approach to be conscious of bringing the need for decent wages in consonants with the general economic stability of our country.” Consequently, Organised Labour gave the National Assembly Leadership an Eight (8) weeks to engage with stakeholders from the Executive. The Labour Leaders, however, refused to call off the nationwide strike action immediately as they requested more time to consult their respective National Executive Councils (NEC) and organs in adherence to the Constitution of their Unions.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen said: “I am sure some would remember what I said during the Independence Anniversary lecture, that one thing that this government and this country can do to wipe out corruption in the long run is to adopt a ‘living wage.’ There are no two ways about it. But we should also be careful that the problems of many decades cannot be fixed within one day. It is going to be gradual.