Identifying lackadaisical attitude of government to the plight of Nigerian workers as the greatest problem plaguing industrial growth, the Nigeria Labour Congress, at an emergency National Executive Council meeting (NEC) on Tuesday, descended on the country's leaders, who it accused of mistreating workers, saying members have the backing of the congress over ongoing and impending strike in the country.

Addressing the media after the NEC meeting, President of NLC, Abdulwaheed Omar, declared that the congress has noticed that the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) had reasons to embark on an industrial action, which it called off or suspended and is still contemplating continuing the strike.

Omar, who bared his mind on the spate of strikes and impending strikes in the country by various industrial unions, cited Medical and Health Workers among it affiliates also contemplating going on strike. Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) among others have also indicated their intention to go on strike.

Warning government of consequences of the strikes, Omar maintained that the leadership of the country would be blamed should the strikes result into a breakdown of law and order

He said, "specifically the Nigeria Union of teachers (NUT) has been on strike for over four weeks and indications are clear that government has not shown sufficient concern to the plight of teachers despite consistent calls from various quarters for government to ensure that the strike by teachers is resolved amicably. NLC had cause to intervene in the strike by taking part in various negotiations and discussions with various arms of government".

He added "Finally, the NUT has secured an understanding with the Governors' Forum as the forum has agreed to negotiate with the teachers centrally regarding the issue of Teachers' Salary Scale (TSS). Consequently, the teachers and the governors have signed a communiquÈ, which was witnessed by NLC; the hope is that government will keep faith to the agreement that they are going to negotiate the issue of TSS centrally with NUT".

The NLC boss, who noted that NUT's National Executive Council (NEC) meeting has given the Governors' Forum about two weeks within which to ensure that negotiations are carried out regarding TSS and its implementation assured the teachers of congress support in case the otherwise happens".

He said, "We call on the Governors' Forum to ensure that they do not behave like politicians. Teachers have seen reason through the leadership of NUT to honour the words of the governors and accept their plea that teachers should go back to class while negotiations go on".

On the energy sector, Omar maintained that the congress has deliberated and expressed concern over the continued darkness experience by Nigerians all over the country, noting that the power sector is still in the woods.

He called on the Federal Government to find an immediate solution to the growing increase in price of diesel by ensuring constant supply and making sure that the monopoly by any group is broken by whatever means.

He said "States councils and affiliates of the congress have been empowered to ensure that they monitor supplies to their destinations and to ensure that such commodities will not be siphoned at night as is the case now".

Regretting that the non-payment of monetisation arrears as agreed between the joint committee of the Federal Government and the congress since last year is still lingering, Omar noted that the congress has called on government to ensure that the issue of lack of money or non-inclusion of monetisation of arrears in the budget should not constitute a hindrance.

He said, "Congress is now calling on the Federal Government to ensure that a supplementary budget is presented before the National Assembly for the payment of monetisation arrears before the end of this year".

Omar, using Lead Group of Industries as one of the companies in the country that is resisting unionisation, called on the company's management to be ready for mass action should it fail to unionise its workers before December, 2008

He said, "Lead Group of Industries, which we understand is owned by a Chinese, has been resisting unionisation. We want to make it clear that in line with the provisions of the laws of the land regarding labour, the congress will never allow anybody to perpetuate slave labour in this country".

"And in this direction, congress has decided that it would do anything to ensure that Lead Group or any other firms that are yet to get their workers unionised do so before the end of this year. And should this directive fail, it would make sure that the affected companies have no business doing in the country", he added

Recalling that the congress made a pronouncement on workers' pay rise during the May Day celebration this year, Omar disclosed that the congress is going to present a package of demand for pay rise for Nigerian workers to the Federal Government.

The labour leader noted that Nigerian workers are not receiving salaries and wages that are commensurate to services they render, saying if the nation lawmakers can, over night make legislations to hike their pay, there should be no reason stopping the same for the Nigerian workers.

He said "I do believe that if a councilor of a local government can get wages, including allowances for his wife or spouse, Nigerian workers will also make sure that he/she enjoys the wealth of the nation through commensurate salaries that congress will be presenting formally to government"

Meanwhile, NUT on Tuesday suspended its five-week old nationwide industrial action embarked upon in furtherance of the agitation for the actualisation of new TSS.

According to the union, the suspension will be for two weeks in the first instance. The NUT NEC meeting, which lasted for over 10 hours, agreed among other things, to temporarily suspend the industrial action in public primary and secondary schools nationwide and to allow normal classes to resume immediately while negotiations with the governors go on.

The communiquÈ which was signed by NUT's Deputy National President, Onem Nelson Onem, and General-Secretary, Obong Ikpe Obong, after its emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at Teacher's House in Lugbe, Abuja, however, cautioned that teachers would not hesitate to resume the strike should the envisaged outcome from the negotiations fail to materialise.

According to the communiquÈ, "the union at an emergency NEC meeting decided to suspend the strike embarked upon on June 30th, 2008 and has given the Governors' Forum two weeks within which to ensure that negotiations are carried out on the Teacher's Salary Structure (TSS) and the implementation effected."

NUT warned that having honoured and respected the agreement and trusted the governors to suspend the strike, it would reconvene at the end of the two weeks if the union perceived that TSS is not receiving the desired attention.

It read, "Convinced of the sincerity, interest, concern and patriotism exhibited by the Governors' Forum and having regard to the honour, respect and trust that it will carry its intervention to a logical conclusion, NEC-in-session, therefore, resolved to suspend the ongoing industrial action for a period of two weeks from Wednesday, 30 July, 2008.

"Teachers are hereby requested to resume work in hopeful anticipation of a fair and positive consideration of the union's demands," Onem said while addressing a press conference", it added.

Onem, while briefing the media noted that the suspension of the strike for two weeks is to make sure that the committee does not fail in it assignment as well as a respect to the governors for their intervention. The 11-man committee it was gathered has commenced work immediately in Abuja.

In a related development, Governor Bukola Saraki of Kwara State on Monday, pointed out that the governors felt concerned to intervene in the dispute, which prompted them to call for dialogue to end the strike, and proffer ways to address the problems.

He said "it was clear from the meeting that we are focused on ending the strike through the details we discussed. We have made an appeal to them to call off the strike immediately and they have agreed to hold their National Executive Council meeting".

"We have put up our team already and we are equally set to swing into action especially on the aspect of coming up with favourable terms that are acceptable to most of the states", he added

Saraki, however, explained that once the committee concluded its discussions, it will be tabled before the Governors' Forum for implementation across board.