CAC Workers Shelve Strike, Resume Today

• CAC Workers Shelve Strike, Resume Today

The industrial action by the workers of the Corporate Affairs Commission has been shelved as the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress and Ministry of Labour and Employment has agreed to discuss the issue in contention.

A statement by the ministry’s Deputy Director, Press, Samuel Olowookere, on Tuesday stated that the workers were expected to resume today (Wednesday) by 8am.

It said the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, intervened in the matter in accordance with the powers conferred on him by the Trade Union Dispute Act of the Federation (LFN 2004).

This, according to the ministry, will ensure that the principles of social dialogue as a panacea to trade disputes are exploited for the benefit of all stakeholders.

Olowookere said that discussion with the union leaders in the CAC, NLC and the minister on the issue would hold today (Wednesday) by 4pm.

The statement added, “The minister implores all the stakeholders and parties to the dispute to attend the meeting so as to ventilate all the issues and reach a lasting solution via a collective bargaining agreement as enunciated in the International Labour Organisation’s Convention on Social Dialogue.

“In the light of this, the minister has directed the leadership of the NLC in the commission to ask its members to return to work tomorrow (Wednesday) and open the gates for business to re-commence at the commission in consonance with the aspect of the law guiding apprehension of trade dispute and conciliation mechanism.”

The workers, under the aegis of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees, had embarked on a strike action nine days ago, leading to a total shutdown of the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

The union accused the management of corruption, inflation of contracts in state offices, tax evasion through alleged fraudulent training of members of staff, and use of government funds for personal transactions.