By Admin
The Vice President of Industrial Global Union, Comrade Issa Aremu has saluted the leadership of organized labour union in Nigeria for its unrelenting efforts that resulted into halts in hike in electricity tariff by Federal Government.
The representative of the Industrial Global Union expressed this in Ilorin, kwara state capital on Monday while reacting to the suspension of proposed strike by the organized labour union in the country.
Aremu said both Federal Government and Organized labour Union has agreed to look into some fundamental issues that led to the determination of that hike in petrol pump price and electricity tariff said “I am happy because electricity workers union are part of the discussion this time around”
“The fundamental issues of the entire privatization arrangement of the energy sector, 40 percent of the shares are supposed to be reserved for the workers, but it had not been so. But through the arrangement both DISCOs and GENCOs will have to also be opened up to allow for workers participation”
“Issue of metering is another of the fundamental issues to look into, because, government had initially promised to rollout 10m prepaid meters what is causing the delay?
“The strike has only been suspended. Which means it is not yet over until the issues are thrashed out. I will like to call on government to know that labour had lived up to expectation on its side of the bargain by suspending the strike and protest; government must also reciprocate by respecting its side of the agreement”
“The last point I find very useful is the plan to reactivate the National Labour Advisory Council. That statutory body will always ensure regular engagement between the Federal Government, employers of labour in the private sector and labour”
“I want to say on the whole it is a win-win agreement. It is commendable. I commend the leadership of NLC, TUC as well as all the affiliate members of the two unions who had engaged in this tortuous negotiation to have an agreement”
“The Industrial Global Union, of which I am the vice president, will make sure it monitors the implementation of this agreement and if FG reneges on it, we will give support in favour of organized labour” he said
We could recall that the organized labour union had been planing to embark on Nationwide strike starting from Monday, September 28, following how Federal Government increase the electricity tariff and fuel pump price in which the organized labour said the decision is cruel.
