The Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress have agreed to suspend the protest earlier scheduled to hold today in Port Harcourt.
This was part of the eight-point agreements reached during a closed-door meeting between officials of the state government and the national leadership of the unions.
In the meeting, it was also resolved that, the contract on the minimum wage will be signed, the sealed NLC secretariat will be re-opened while the government continues with the correction of the structural defect while the government will immediately restore the remittance of check-off dues.
Also among the agreements reached were that the outstanding health workers salaries will be paid; that a committee will be set up to resolve outstanding issues, parties shall discontinue all court cases and that no worker will be victimized over his role in the dispute.
Before the meeting, there was tension in Rivers state as the Labour leaders insisted on going ahead with the protest and strike despite the state government’s publication of a court injunction stopping the protest.
Meanwhile, the National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Ayubba Waba has said the most important part of the meeting was the agreement to pay workers gratuity which have been owed them since 2012.
He also explained that an agreement was reached with regards to payment of pensions while it was also agreed that a committee be set up to settle any future dispute between Labour and the state government.
In what looks to be a show of goodwill from the Rivers State Government towards the resolution of its dispute with labour, the NLC secretariat has been reopened after it was locked down by the Rivers state government over the alleged structural defect.
The office was opened this morning immediately after the meeting between Labour and the state government yesterday to avert a protest in Port Harcourt billed for today.
