The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr Kayode Opeifa, said the two labour unions of the corporation have agreed to cancel all strike actions and work with the new management in achieving the mandate of President Bola Tinubu for the rail sector.

Opeifa disclosed this to newsmen yesterday. He said the labour leaders passed the resolution after a meeting with the management, where all their grievances were tabled for discussion.

Opeifa, who described the maiden meeting with the workers’ leaders as “productive with mutual understanding of all issues raised,” noted that some matters raised by the unions were assigned for further discussion at the directorate level. Others, such as the medical personnel allowance, were instantly resolved.

He said: “The unions have reaffirmed their commitment to collaborate with the management and provide all necessary support to ensure that train services operate at maximum efficiency, contributing to the growth of rail services in Nigeria as well as reducing the prices of goods and services to achieve the President’s mandate.”
Opeifa expressed happiness at the outcome, adding that with the workforce behind him, he can now begin to work at optimising railway operations in the country.

He assured that the management is committed to the welfare of the workers and ensuring that their work as well as living conditions would be adequately catered for under his leadership.

The labour unions had, during Opeifa’s resumption, indicated their willingness to drop their agitation in deference to the new Managing Director who they described as a member of the human rights family.

Earlier, the National President of the National Union of Railway Workers (NUR) led by Innocent Ajiji, had lauded Opeifa for his frankness.

He appreciated the Managing Director’s willingness to listen attentively to their grievances adding that the union holds tenaciously to the promises extracted from the managing director during the meeting.

Corroborating the NUR President, the Senior Staff Association of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (SSANUR) President, Marcel Okeke, said their decision to rein in the workers was informed by the human rights pedigree of the new managing director and his openness during the meeting.

According to Okeke, the union leaders were enamoured by the fact that the Managing Director was once a comrade, adding that they do not doubt that under him, railway workers would enjoy a new deal and a new lease of life.

They reached the truce just as the Managing Director, Dr Kayode Opeifa, assured that under him, the NRC management would continue to foster greater collaboration with the unions for the purpose of promoting industrial harmony.