The Federal Government and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) have agreed to give the government two weeks to address some of the grievances of the Congress.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Solomon Lalong, disclosed this in Abuja at the end of a meeting with the leadership of Trade Union Congress, led by its President, Comrade Festus Osifo.
The meeting was convened by the Minister to resolve TUC’s and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) differences with government and to avert the pending warning strike by organised labour.
According to Lalong, the issues for which a two-week timeline was set for their resolution include wage award for federal civil servants to cushion the effect of rising poverty among them, and tax exemption for a certain level of workers, both in the public and private sectors.
Last week Friday, 1 September, the NLC declared a two-day warning strike which began on Tuesday.
The two-day warning strike observed partial compliance from workers in some parts of the country, including Lagos State, Rivers State, and Abuja.
Workers of Ikeja Electric were locked out of their offices as some members of the union were stationed at the gate to turn customers back.
But the strike order did not have any effect at the Lagos State Secretariat where workers were seen going about their regular business.
Also banks were open for business with customers seen entering and exiting their premises.
In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Federal Ministry of Education at the Federal Secretariat was locked for about five minutes and later opened for civil servants to resume work.
Other blocks at the secretariat remained open with workers going into the building for work.
However, the turnout of workers is significantly low compared to other workdays.
Public and private workers in Kaduna joined their counterparts across the country in the two-day nationwide strike.
While the NLC in Edo State barred entrance into the state high court premises in compliance with a two-day warning strike.
