According to DAILY POST, the union previously announced that it would begin industrial action today, June 7th.

However, after meeting with the Federal Government, the NLC leadership canceled the strike.

The Trade Union Congress, TUC, was the first to adopt this stance following a similar meeting with the FG; the NLC was absent from the earlier discussion.

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The development has not been well received by the state chapters of the unions, who believe that they were not consulted before their leaders reached an agreement with the federal government.

Speaker of the House of Representatives FemiGbajabiamila, who led the government delegation, revealed the resolutions reached with the labor unions following a meeting at the Aso Villa.

According to him, the Federal Government, the TUC, and the NLC would establish a joint committee to examine the proposition for any wage increase or award and establish a framework and timetable for implementation.

"The Federal Government, the TUC, and the NLC will review the World Bank-financed cash transfer program and propose the inclusion of low-income earners in the program," states a portion of the communique.

A chairman of the NLC in one of the states told DAILY POST that their members were dissatisfied with the hasty withdrawal of industrial action without the Federal Government altering its stance on the underlying issue.

Tuesday, the NLC convened a National Executive Committee, or NEC, meeting to inform its members of the most recent development.

The chairman of the state, who was dissatisfied with the meeting's outcome, stated, "It was a one-item agenda meeting to inform us of their resolution with the federal government.

"You have seen the communique signed by the national body; they have verified to us that they were a part of it. All of the aforementioned issues were the ones they raised with the federal government.

"Therefore, we will establish a technical committee that will examine these issues and come up with a permanent solution, so to speak, that will assist to alleviate the suffering of the people due to the elimination of the fuel subsidy.

"There wasn't much to report. We were briefed, and they informed us that they were in accord with the items in the communique, as they were included in the document.

"I, along with a number of others, anticipated a circumstance in which the new price regime would have been suspended. The issues raised should have precedence, but the price regime must be suspended during this discussion.

That would have prompted them to speed up the conversation and reach a viable agreement. The revised pricing structure can now take effect.

"But since they've decided to place the horse before the cart, let it stand. This is the resolution as it appears in the document. The technical committee will depart on the 19th of June, which is the date of their meeting.

"Obviously, it must occur as quickly as possible. This will not be a permanent arrangement."

Recall that on Friday, the NLC instructed its members and affiliates to commence nationwide protests and service withdrawals on Wednesday (today) if the federal government fails to compel the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, NNPCL, to reverse the increase in gasoline pump prices.

The NNPCL announced a new nationwide petroleum pricing template on Wednesday of last week. The result was a nationwide increase in petroleum pump prices from N197 per litre to over N500.

Following President Bola Tinubu's inaugural address in which he announced the elimination of petroleum subsidies, this event transpired.

Tinubu vowed that, if elected president, he would halt the controversial plan.

Before the February 25 election, he spoke at a business luncheon titled "Business Forward" with business owners in Lagos, where he implied that he would remove petroleum subsidies regardless of how long people protested.

He asserted that Nigeria would no longer subsidize petroleum consumption in neighboring nations.

"How can we subsidize the fuel consumption of Cameroon, Niger, and Benin?" "The subsidy will be eliminated regardless of how long you protest," he stated.

Tinubu bears the brunt of the policy's implementation, despite the fact that the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari had announced that the subsidy policy would end in June, when the initiative's budget would expire.

Prior to the announcement of the strike's suspension, the Federal Government had petitioned the National Industrial Court in Abuja for a temporary restraining order preventing the NLC and the TUC from going on strike as scheduled pending the determination of the motion on notice.

According to DAILY POST, the National Industrial Court granted the application of the FG and ordered the Labor unions not to strike.

The FG argued that the proposed strike could disrupt economic activity, the health care industry, and the educational system.

In addition, they asserted that the strike could have a significant impact on the larger society and the well-being of the entire nation.

In the meantime, the TUC has demanded that the minimum wage be raised from its current level of N30,000 to N200,000 by the end of June 2023, with a corresponding adjustment to the cost of feeding allowances such as food, transportation, and lodging.

Monday, the union's president, Festus Osifo, and general secretary, Nuhu Toro, addressed journalists and demanded the immediate implementation of the union's demands, which include a tax holiday for government and private sector employees earning less than N200,000 or $500 per month.

TUC also demanded that "a representative of state governors would be a party to any negotiations and must commit to implementing the new minimum wage."

In addition, they advocated for the implementation of a PMS Allowance for employees earning between N200,000 and N500,000, or between $500 and $1,200.

Before removing the fuel subsidy, the NLC argued, the government should have listened to the impoverished masses.

Prof. Oguguo Egwu, the Ebonyi State Congress chairman, made the remark in an interview with the Nigerian News Agency (NAN) on Monday in Abakaliki.

"The increase has caused the populace to suffer. Imagine having to pay N550 per liter of petroleum in Ebonyi. Return to the status quo and allow for negotiation space. It is necessary to heed to the disadvantaged.

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"The federal government can do it without causing harm to citizens. Ensure that there is no hardship among the populace. "Have the welfare of the masses in mind and do not cause them harm," said Egwu.

Comrade Barrister Fabian Nwigbo, chairman of the NLC in the state of Enugu, stated in an interview with DAILY POST that the NLC's national body would convene yesterday at 2:00 p.m. to discuss the communique reached with the federal government.

Nwigbo lamented that the action being taken by the Federal Government, including its meeting with the NLC, is too late because people are already suffering.

He asserted that the government ought to have implemented ameliorative measures and countermeasures to mitigate the impact of the new policy.

"The national organization has just invited us to a meeting at 2:00 p.m. today (Tuesday), and I believe it's in accordance with the information on social media. Consequently, all of us in various states have been discussing this issue on our respective platforms, awaiting the outcome of the meeting to determine whether or not this is what transpired and the next steps.

"However, we have not yet received an adequate briefing. I received an invitation to a virtual meeting at the national office at 2:00 p.m. this morning.

"Accordingly, since our emergency NEC meeting was held last Friday and we were instructed not to do anything other than the issues discussed and agreed upon at that meeting, it is not customary to discuss the items in that communique without hearing from the national.

"I do not have access to that information, so I am unable to say definitively whether or not they (the states) are carried along. However, it is typical for state governments to wait and make decisions based on labor or key stakeholder agreements with the federal government.

"Therefore, states will not now come out and say, remove fuel subsidies or don't eliminate them, or we will do this or that. They are awaiting the national conclusion of the matter. In addition, they will be given instructions on what to do following this decision.

"I am aware that the Presidency has stated that it has had discussions with the Governors and that these discussions will continue in regards to the palliatives that should be implemented in order to mitigate the impact of the elimination of the fuel subsidy.

"However, I find these actions to be tardy. After removing fuel subsidies, it is belated to discuss ways to enhance the lives of the general public if you wish to eliminate them.

"Normally, issues should have been discussed and the communication should have been in place prior to his removal of the petroleum subsidy.

"In essence, I am saying that whatever they are doing now, including the meeting between the NLC and government representatives, is too little, too late; people are already suffering.

"Also, you are aware that once commodity prices have risen in Nigeria, there is no way to bring them back down, regardless of what you determine. We have no choice but to persevere, however.

"If, by His grace, we are successful in our actions, the government may decide to include certain provisions in our agreement that will help people endure the harsh conditions that the federal government has imposed on everyone."

The Director-General of the Michael Imoudu National Institute of Labour Studies, Ilorin, Comrade Issa Aremu, praised the ongoing dialogue between FG and the Labor union.

Comrade Aremu stated to DAILY POST that the current policy debate is beneficial to national development, adding that it is necessary to "work out win-win options" for the downstream petroleum sector in particular and Nigeria as a whole.

He expressed optimism that through the exchange of facts, negotiations, and compromises, the government and labor would find common ground for the inevitable reform of the downstream petroleum sector, which the sector unions, namely PENGASSAN and NUPENG, have been advocating for years.

"Neither policy reversal nor mass protest are options, but genuine negotiation and social dialogue would make the deregulation policy a reality without jeopardizing the welfare of the citizens in terms of welfare and job security," he said.

President Bola Tinubu's initiative to meet with labor leaders was lauded by Comrade Aremu, who described Tinubu as "not only labor-friendly, but also approachable and open to engagement."

He challenged labor and civil society to respond to the president's initiative with inventive options to safeguard public and private employment.

In the meantime, the National Labour Congress (NLC) has rejected the National Industrial Court's (NIC) ruling that favored the Federal Government over the interests of the country's masses and employees.

Mr. Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, stated as much in a communique signed with Mr. Emmanuel Ugboaja, General Secretary of the Congress, at the conclusion of an emergency meeting of the National Executive Council, NEC, on Tuesday in Abuja.

It was stated that the NEC meeting had been convened to discuss the outcome of the dialogue between the NLC and the Federal Government regarding the price increase of petroleum products.

According to the NLC, the NEC in session determined that it was necessary to demonstrate to the government the importance of adhering to enacted laws and judicial orders.

"Especially as it relates to compliance with judicial rulings and their flagrant disregard for the 2023 Appropriations Act.

"Therefore, to support and accept the leadership of Congress's decision to suspend the proposed strike action in accordance with the flawed rulings of the NIC."

"Also, to facilitate negotiations and enable final agreement during or after the 19th of June, 2023 negotiation round with the federal government.

"However, to register in the strongest possible terms its disgust and disapproval with the ruling of the NIC for its continuous weaponization of the instrument of Exparte injunction in favor of the government."

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"That it is against the interests of Nigerian workers in defiance of the Supreme Court's position on the use of this instrument," read the communiqué.

Congress added that all Affiliates and State Councils of Congress are hereby directed to suspend further action and mobilization until the conclusion of the final negotiations.

The communiqué commended all Affiliates and State Councils for their vigorous mobilization toward the accomplishment of a nationwide strike and urged them to remain vigilant in the event that the strike must continue.