FG approves senior staff compensation, and labor may call off the walkout

The provisional pay raise promised by President Bola Tinubu for all low-income workers for six months would affect all employees paid by the Treasury, according to the Federal Government on Sunday.

After a four-hour long emergency meeting with the leaders of Organized Labor, the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, stated this to reporters from State House.

To avoid the planned nationwide, indefinite strike called by organized labor, a deal was achieved.

After hearing about the decisions from their state chapters and affiliates on Monday (today), the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress were expecting to postpone their strike that was set to start on Tuesday.

The meeting was held shortly after the President declared in his Independence Day broadcast that a provisional wage raise of N25,000 for a certain type of federal employees for the following six months had been approved.

Briefing journalists on the meeting outcome, Gbajabiamila said, “There was a lot of chatter on Twitter about the issue of low-income workers only falling into the category of the provisional wage increase. And we did communicate with the President and he quickly did say and agreed that all categories of workers will be given the wage bill. There is nothing like low income, median income or high income.”  ⁣

He expressed hope that the scheduled strike by the labor unions will be called off.

“Hopefully, we expect that Labour will call a meeting of their various branches and executive tomorrow to present the agreements that have been reached, and we pray and we believe and we hope that the strike will be called off on Tuesday,’’ he noted.⁣

He expressed optimism that the labour unions would backtrack on their planned strike.

“Hopefully, we expect that Labour will call a meeting of their various branches and executive tomorrow to present the agreements that have been reached, and we pray and we believe and we hope that the strike will be called off on Tuesday,’’ he noted.⁣

It was learned that labor leaders opposed Tinubu’s proposed N25,000 wage increase for low-grade workers.

They argued that it should last until a new minimum wage is adopted and opposed the government’s suggestion that the provisional hike span a six-month term.

Unconfirmed sources at the conference also said that the unions pushed on a reassessment of the pay hike to N30,000.

The Federal Government increased the wage award as a result, to N35,000.

However, the parties agreed that the points in disagreement could only be settled when workers were at work and not while they were on strike, according to a statement from the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mallam Mohammed Idris.

The statement read, ‘’Labour unions argued for higher wage award and the Federal Government team promised to present Labour’s request to President Bola Tinubu for further consideration.

“A sub-committee (is) to be constituted to work out the details of implementation of all items for consideration regarding government interventions to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal.

“The lingering matter of the Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria and National Union of Road Transport Workers in Lagos State needs to be addressed urgently and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who participated virtually, pledged to resolve the matter.

‘’NLC and TUC will consider the offers by the Federal Government with a view to suspending the planned strike to allow for further consultations on the implementation of the resolutions above.’’

He added, “The Federal Government is committed to fast-tracking the provision of Compressed Natural Gas buses to ease public transportation difficulties associated with the removal of PMS subsidy.

“The Federal Government commits to the provision of funds for micro and small-scale enterprises. VAT on diesel will be waived for the next six months.

“The Federal Government will commence payment of N75,000 to 15 million households at N25,000 per month, for a three-month period from October-December 2023.”

Speaking on behalf of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC President Joe Ajaero said the union would table the FG’s offer before its organs reach a resolution.