Labour Congress (ULC) has stated that the group suspended its two-day industrial action because an agreement was reached after a conciliatory meeting in the instance of Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige. National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and a host of others who are sponsoring a third Labour centre, United Labour Congress (ULC) had earlier threatened to shut down oil facilities, power stations, airways following government refusal to register the center among others.
However, the suspension of the strike also followed an agreement that an enlarge meeting would be held on Tuesday, September 26, 2017, with relevant stakeholders in attendance to resolve other issues raised by the workers.
Th e stakeholders according to a conclusion of meeting between Minister of Labour and Employment with sponsors of the United Labour Congress, signed by the permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Bolaji Adebiyi and President of ULC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, are Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Governor of Central Bank to discuss the issues in dispute.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, Ajaero said: “Th e ULC has looked at the issues and the appeal by the Department of State Services (DSS) who had taken cognisance of the security nature of the sectors that are involved and has agreed to softpedal. “Having looked at all these two factors, the ULC will be getting across to the fi eld for the suspension of the action. To enable further deliberation of the issues raised and the remaining issues to commence next week.
” Ngige had earlier said the federal government had a closed door technical meeting with the leadership of ULC and some agreement was reached. “ULC is a proposed Labour federation and some unions have indicated their interest and had done the necessary preambles within the association as enshrine in the labour reregulation’s that they want to be part of. “Th ere is a proposal and an application in this ministry and that application is been process and there is no fi nality that it will not be a registered labour centre.
“So, we are discussing with the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and all the other affi liates who said they are behind them or want to residents in the propose ULC. “Th is various unions in the ULC have their grievances which were tabled and the government agencies that were present tackled the issues.”
