The Minister of Labour and Employment, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, has disclosed that the Federal Government was caught off guard by Monday’s nationwide strike because it didn’t see it coming.
Onyejeocha made the claim when she featured as a guest on Monday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today
The minister, who accused the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress of failing to imbibe the spirit of social dialogue, said that their leaders were not patient enough to see through the negotiation they were having with the tripartite committee.
Onyejeocha also argued that it was wrong of labour to expect the FG to fix salaries for state governors and local government authorities to pay their workers.
She said, “How will I see it (strike) coming when I am sure we are negotiating and you know that it is tripartite? The Federal Government cannot impose salaries for local government and, of course, the governors.
“The Organised Private Sector is involved and they have the ability or level of what they can pay. And if they say they can’t pay a certain amount, is the FG going to force them?”
Her protest comes in the wake of the Federal Government’s invitation to Labour leaders through the National Salaries Wages and Income Commission.
Monday’s nationwide strike had seemingly impacted commercial activities across the country as major government parastatals, schools, banking institutions, and other businesses were shut down.
But Onyejeocha insisted that all the relevant parties were still in the middle of dialogue before the unionists walked away from the negotiation table.
While lamenting Monday’s disruption of commercial activities and untold suffering visited on the masses, the minister appealed to the NLC and the TUC to consider returning to the negotiation table.
“We were negotiating and didn’t conclude before Labour walked out. That is not in the spirit of social dialogue. The truth of the matter is that we have entered a negotiation and all the parties should be patient enough to conclude it.
“Having experienced what took place today, the national grid was affected and, of course, people were stranded in our airports today. And you know what it is. People already suffered a lot of hardship and setbacks because of today’s strike. The natural thing to do is for Labour to rescind its decision and come back to the negotiating table.
“As I always say, strike should be the last option because we know what the issues are and we are available for discussion and negotiation. We believe there is nothing that can’t be resolved. But embarking on strike is taking the matter to the extreme which, of course, has a negative implication to both our economy and the welfare of the people,” she pleaded.