The organised labour in Kogi has suspended its industrial action slated for March 22, following the state government’s decision to resume negotiation with it on the N30,000 minimum wage.
The state chapters of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (JPSNC) confirmed the suspension of the strike in a statement jointly issued in Lokoja on Friday.
According to the statement, the state government has ordered the 17-member minimum wage negotiation committee to resume work immediately, with a mandate to submit its report in a very short time.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the statement was signed by Mr Anthony Owoeye, Mr James Kolawole and Alhaji Isah Abubakar, all state secretaries of NLC, TUC and JPSNC respectively.
It said that the suspension of the strike would subsist until the submission of report by the committee.
NAN reports that the organised labour had, on March 2, issued a 2-day ultimatum to the state government to resume negotiation with it on the new minimum wage or face industrial action.
In its response to the ultimatum, government announced the resuscitation of the minimum wage negotiating committee, under the headship of Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Folasade Ayoade, to resume work immediately.
“We appeal to workers to go about their normal and legitimate business, while praying that God should touch the hearts of our leaders to do the needful,” the statement said.
The labour centre also thanked workers for maintaining a very cordial industrial atmosphere, urging them to continue to be law abiding. ((NAN)
