CONSTRUCTION WORKERS SUSPEND INDUSTRIAL ACTION
Oru Leonard
The workers in the construction industry have agreed to suspend their industrial action, following an agreement reached with their employers.
The agreement was reached at the end of a conciliation meeting convened by the Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, in her office today, to resolve the dispute between the workers under the aegis of National Union of Civil Engineering Construction, Furniture, and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW) and Construction and Civil Engineering Senior Staff Association (CCESSA) and their employers, Federation of Construction Industry (FOCI).
The unions had accused their employers of non-compliance with the federal government’s directives on the palliatives to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal, and proceeded on a three-day warning strike from Monday, 5th February to press home their demand.
The employers responded that the agreement was not a tripartite one, but they had been empathic with their workers and also ready to cushion the effect of the hardship of the removal of fuel subsidy on the workers.
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According to the agreement reached at the end of the meeting, “the issue of wage award/palliative as demanded by the workers and the National Joint Industrial Council (NJIC) agreement should be collapsed into one meeting.”
The parties agreed to conclude all processes by Tuesday 27th February 2024, and revert to the Minister.
The Minister had earlier held separate meetings with the employers, and the unions in a move to get them to reach a truce and avert the industrial action through constructive dialogue.
Signatories to the agreement are Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of State, Labour and Employment; Mohammed Yusuf, Director, Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations, Ministry of Labour; Comrade Ayodeji Adeyemo, National President, CCESSA, and High Chief Vincent Barrah, President, FOCI.
(FMoL Press)
