The meeting between organised labour and the Federal Government is set to be held at 1:00 pm today.
While the meeting, aimed at halting labour’s planned strike over fuel subsidy removal and the attendant hardship in the country, was scheduled for 11:00 am, it was later moved to 1:00 pm.
Journalists were already at the venue of the meeting – the Conference Hall of the Ministry of Labour and Employment – but there were no organised labour or Federal Government representatives.
The press was later informed that the meeting had been moved to 1:00 p.m.
This is the second meeting in recent times after the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) suspended its two-day warning strike two weeks ago.
The NLC boycotted the first meeting but members of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) attended even though its leadership said they are open to discussions with the government
The NLC and the TUC are protesting the harsh effects of the fuel subsidy removal. They are asking the Federal Government to implement their recommendations which among other things include the payment of a new minimum wage for workers, provision of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and their conversion centres as alternative to petrol as well as the payment of all withheld salaries for university lecturers
The NLC has threatened to embark on an indefinite strike should the government fail to address its demands.
