Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has suspended its proposed industrial action after accepting the Kano State Government’s decision to revert salaries of workers for the month of March to the old N18,000 minimum wage.
The Kano State council of NLC had issued a seven-day ultimatum for the government to revert the March salary to N30,000 minimum wage, after which three days warning strike would be declared.
But the Kano State Government declared that it will not be able to pay the N30,000 minimum wage for the month of March, citing dwindling monthly FAAC allocation.
NLC national president Comrade Ayuba Waba, who disclosed the withdrawal of the strike while addressing journalists early morning Thursday, declared the new development was reached after an emergency meeting held with four delegations of the state government led by head of service, Binta Lawan Ahmed.
Waba revealed that seven-point resolutions which subsequently averted the scheduled industrial action include a government pledge to refund the deductions from April salaries in the May salaries, depending on the increase of Federal Allocation accruable to the state.
Represented by deputy national president, Najeem Yasin, Waba also cleared the doubt on the insinuation that suggested government intention to renege from earlier position on new minimum wage.
“Arising from the meeting with organized labour and state government, resolutions were reached, that March 2021 deductions from workers salaries at state and local government council should be refunded to workers along with April or May 2021, salaries depending on increase of FAAC allocation for the period,” Waba said.
“That, all machinery for implementation of the new national minimum wage of N30,600.00 should be put in place by the OHCS for KUST Wudil and Yusuf Maitama Sule University immediately. That, a committee was set up between government and organized labour to look into all contentious issues as presented by labour.
“That, monthly payment of pension and all the entitlements of retirees should be vested under the resolutions and approval of the board of trustees of the KSPFT as provided by 2006 pension law. No worker or any labour should be punished or treated in a prejudicial or malicious manner as a result of partaking in the planned industrial action by the Kano state government.”
-The Guardian