The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC)

  • NLC to Fed Govt: suport UN on decent jobs

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Federal Government to take urgent steps to align with the United Nations’ commitment to support a just ecological transition by formulating  plans for a just transition, creating decent work as well as green jobs for the citizens.

    This, the labour centre, noted involves creating mechanisms of inclusive social dialogue, such as assessing employment, social and economic impacts of ecological transition and green jobs potential; implementing skills development; designing innovative social protection policies; increasing transfer of technology and knowledge to developing countries as responsible investment.

    Read Also: Nigeria seeks Uniglobal’s support for new minimum wage implementation

    In a letter to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SFG), NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, said it looked forward to being partners with government in the implementation of the commitments.

    The letter noted that the UN Secretary-General is calling on all leaders to come to New York in September with plans to enhance their nationally-determined contributions by 2020, in line with reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 45 per cent over the next decade, and to net zero emissions by 2050.

  • Why NLC called off strike – Official

    The Assistant General Secretary of the Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU), Comrade Nehemiah Ogem has said that contrary to rumors making round, Labour did not sell out to government when it suspended the warning strike.

    According to him, Labor suspended the strike because government had that the tripartite committee on minimum wage it had earlier suspended indefinitely would continue work.

    Speaking in Minna at a one day seminar organized by the Nigeria Civil Service Union, Federal Inland Revenue Unit (FIRS) on Labor Management Relations, Ogem said that there had been a lot of name calling and rumor carrying on how the leadership of NLC had sold out on its members.

    He reiterated that the Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC) has the interest of the workers at heart and would never sell out on them.

    Read Also: NLC harps on press freedom, rule of law

    “It should be noted that Labor only suspended the strike but did not call it off. It can call back the strike whenever the government’s is not cooperating. We have just taken the first step and we are watching and waiting for the next step. ”

    In his address, the Chairman of the Nigeria Civil Service Union, FIRS Unit, Comrade Idris Hassan Abdulrahman stressed on the need for good management and labor relation adding that strike is not the way out as both parties would need to look at dialogue as a viable option.

    He stated that the Nigeria Civil Service Union, FIRS Unit will continue to work at engaging the management in how best to improve on staff relation calling on the management of FIRS to put every machinery in place that will improve on the welfare of the staff.

    Abdulrahman then charged the staff to be more dedicated to work, avoid negative tendencies and sharp practices in the organization.

  • NLC suspends strike in Zamfara

    NLC suspends strike in Zamfara

    The Nigeria Labor Congress ( NLC ), Zamfara chapter, on Monday announced a conditional suspension of the indefinite strike it embarked upon a fortnight ago.

    The announcement was made by the state NLC Chairman, Comrade Bashir Mafara, after a meeting of the State Executive Council (SEC) at its secretariat in Gusau.

    He said the conditional suspension followed the intervention of various stakeholders, including members of the state house of assembly, religious and traditional leaders as well as the state’s Elders Forum.

    Mafara said the conditional suspension of the strike would be for four weeks, during which the workers’ seven demands were expected to be met by the state government.

    “We are not doing this out of fear or intimidation but for the respect we have for the different categories of people that intervened in the matter,” the labour leader said.

    He directed all workers in the state to immediately resume work and await further instructions from the union’s leadership.

    The chairman commended the resilience of the workers, goodwill and support of the people of the state, as well as journalists and assured that the NLC would continue to do its best in meeting the expectations of the people.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the strike followed the failure of the government to pay arrears of entitlements including promotion, gratuity of pensioners and full implementation of the N18, 000 minimum wage.

  • May Day: Niger workers’ demands cancellation of Pension Scheme

    May Day: Niger workers’ demands cancellation of Pension Scheme

    The absence of the Niger state Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello at the Workers Day parade Monday in Minna has been attributed to the fear of being berated by the workers of the state over his reluctance to cancel the Contributory Pension Scheme in the state.

    The Chairman of the Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC), Comrade Yahaya Videos Ndako who disclosed this during the Workers Day Celebration at the 1,2,3 Parade Ground in Minna stated that the Organized Union in the state are calling for the total cancellation of the Contributory Pension Scheme and would not accept its implementation.

    Addressing the representative of the Governor, the Secretary of State Government, Hon. Ibrahim Isah Ladan and workers of Niger state, the Chairman said that the new Bill sent by the Governor to the House of Assembly seeking to amend the law establishing the contributory pension is unacceptable adding that Labor will no longer allow its retirees to be subjected to untold hardship.

    Ndako stated that this latest action of the government is capable of flaring up the anger of both serving and retired workers to an unimaginable proportion whose consequences may be unhealthy to the state.

    “We are Nigerlites, we voted for the government in power and we need to enjoy our rights. This new Bill is vehemently rejected by the Organized Labor in Niger state. We are saying this gently so that when we start reacting, it would not be said that hope have started.

    “We will fight our cause based on the law of the land. I can say categorically that the Governor and I spoke after a programme in Radio Niger and I told him about our rejection of the new Bill. I am sure that that is what prevented Me. Governor from coming to the parade today.”

    Ndako who insisted that they had no problem with the state Governor neither are they enemies of the Governor pointing out that there are sycophants in the Governor’s cabinet who take delight in causing chaos in some sectors in the state.

    The NLC Chairman then called on Governor Abubakar Sani Bello to carry out reshufflement of his cabinet due to its numbers of sycophants and unproductive members stating that, “the earlier he reshuffles his cabinet, the better for him.”

    He then advised the state government to dedicate the allocation of N200 million from the N400million monthly Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) and set up a Board of Trustee to that effect for its effective and efficient management.

    In his speech read by the Secretary of the State Government,  Governor Abubakar Sani Bello said that his administration is not unaware of the skepticism and apprehension of the civil servants in the state hence the welfare of worker would be given the required priority.

    Ladan stated that the state government will continued to pay its 10.5 per cent and 7.5 per cent of workers in to the Contributory Pension Scheme adding that the Governor believe in dialogue in resolving matters.

    However, the workers did not allow him to finish as they interrupted him saying it was unacceptable, shouts of “no no no go and seat down” “we will not accept it” filled the air.

    But the SSG continued his speech saying that the state government has paid over N2.6 billion outstanding Pension and gratuities of workers assuring the workers that the payment would continue but in batches.

     

  • Niger NLC set for show down over proposed salary reduction

    Niger NLC set for show down over proposed salary reduction

    The Niger state chapter of the Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC) have given the state government a two week ultimatum to reverse its 70 per cent salary proposal stating that only the payment of full salary can stop workers in the state from going on strike.

    The Congress stated that there will be no shifting ground or going back until government pays the full salary of the workers.

    This is coming after the state governor; Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello had proposed a reduction in the worker’s salary in a bid to meet up with infrastructural development in the state.

    At a stakeholders meeting in Minna, the Governor proposed that 70 percent of the state earnings from federation allocation will be used to service workers salaries while the remaining 30 percent will be for capital projects.

    The Niger state NLC Chairman, Comrade Idris Yahaya Ndako while addressing the congress of workers in Niger State Wednesday said that the proposal is unacceptable to Labor and Labor is not going to take it.

    He added that it was unfortunate that those who contributed to defrauding Niger State in the past administration had the right to call for the payment of workers’ salaries by percentage.

    “It is unfortunate the comment of the former Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly who was in PDP and part of the people who caused the problem to come out and say that workers should be paid on percentage.

    “The proposal is unacceptable and Labor is not going to take it. There is no going back, no shifting ground until government pays full salary to the workers.”

    During a stakeholders meeting held in Minna, the state Governor disclosed that the state has incurred over N3 billion loan to meet up with the payment of workers’ salaries due to the drop in the federal allocation received by the state.

    The Governor then proposed that 70 percent of the state earnings from federation allocation should  be used to service workers’ salaries while the remaining 30 percent will be for capital projects  arguing that government cannot afford to use the entire resources of the state in paying salary of the civil service at the expense of infrastructural development.