NLC halts picketing of banks, reaches accord with NECA

• Ngige restates opposition to arbitrary retrenchment

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has suspended its decision to picket some banks over alleged arbitrary retrenchment of workers in the financial sector.

The new position was contained in an agreement signed yesterday at the end of a parley between the NLC and the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) in Abuja.

However, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has said his directive asking banks to halt mass sack was informed by the need for the sector not to aggravate the unemployment situation in the country.

“There will be an in-focus meeting (between NLC/NECA and NUBIFIE) with Diamond Bank to resolve the peculiarity of its own disengagement. FCMB should meet with NUBIFIE to fulfill the legal requirement of discussion with the union on the retrenchment it carried out,” the pact read in part.

As for companies collecting ‘protection fees’ without having unions on ground, the agreement said such unions should ensure that they set up their branches in the said banks within 30 days from yesterday

It also said the NLC should graciously heed employers’ appeal that the issue of banks that are without unions should be discussed at a tripartite meeting involving the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

The agreement was signed by NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, NECA Director General, Segun Oshinowo and representatives of First Bank, Skye Bank, Fidelity Bank, Ecobank and FCMB.