Society Gists

The federal executive council (FEC) has approved a 30-day implementation plan for the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the federal government and organised labour.

Simon Lalong, minister of labour and employment, spoke to journalists at the end of the FEC meeting on Monday in Abuja.

BACKGROUND

On September 26, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) directed their members and affiliate bodies to commence a mass action on October 3 as a protest against the petrol subsidy removal and economic hardship in the country.

On October 1, the federal government summoned an emergency meeting to engage the unions as a measure to avert the nationwide strike.

Twenty-four hours later, the leadership of the organised labour suspended the planned indefinite strike.

The labour leaders reached an agreement to shelve the planned action in an MoU signed by Joe Ajaero, NLC president, Festus Osifo, TUC president, and representatives of the federal government.

FEC RECEIVES MoU

Speaking on the development, Lalong said the MoU was presented to the council, adding that the document has 15 items of agreement.

The former Plateau governor said one part of the MoU will be filed in the court, adding that the process has commenced.

“We presented a memo from the federal ministry of labour and employment. The memo was basically on the agreement between the government and the labour,” Lalong said.

“You are already aware that 15 items are parts of the agreement. But we went beyond mere agreement, we told them that something different 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 each and every aspect of the agreement and to show the genuineness and also provide for a harmonious and good industrial relationship and that was why it was presented and it was approved for implementation.

“The council also approved that within these 30 days, we should go with the implementation of the agreement between labour and government.”

THE SIXTH ITEM OF THE MoU

Speaking on the sixth item of the MoU, Lalong said the federal government had concluded its meeting with the leadership of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN).

He added that the meeting with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has not been concluded.

The sixth item of the MoU borders on the alleged government interference in the activities of the leadership of the NURTW.