Labour shuns meeting with FG as October 3 nationwide strike looms

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and their Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, counterparts, failed to show up for a meeting withthe Federal Government on Friday night.

The Bola Tinubu administration has called the parley, in a desperate effort to avert the planned nationwide strike from October 3.

According to the two labour centres, government’s invitation came late as they had scheduled engagements outside Abuja, the federal capital.

The government had, on Friday, summoned an emergency meeting meeting with the leaders of NLC and TUC in an effort to sway Organized Labour and its allies to shelve the industrial action.

The meeting, which was scheduled for Friday, 12 noon at Aso Villa, Conference Room of the Office of the Chief of Staff to Mr. President, was later shifted to evening, to allow NLC and TUC to reach their leaders outside Abuja.

According to Vanguard sources, the NLC and its TUC counterpart received the government’s invitation this morning through the ministry of labour and employment.

The invitation letter dated September 29 was signed on behalf of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, by the Director, Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations, Emmanuel Igbinosun.

The letter titled “Impending labour union strike invitation to a meeting”, read in part: “I bring you greetings from the Honourable Ministers of Labour and Employment.

“I am directed to invite the leadership of the Trade Union Congress Nigeria (TUC) for a meeting with the Chief of Staff to Mr. President on the above subject, scheduled as follows:

“Date: Friday, September 294, 2023; Time: 12 noon. Venue: Aso Villa, Conference Room of the Office of the Chief of Staff to Mr. President.

“Please be assured of the kind regards of the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment.”