Minimum wage: Labour begins indefinite strike Monday
Mobilises workers, state chapters
Members of the organised labour yesterday declared that they would embark on an indefinite strike on Monday over federal government’s refusal to shift ground on its proposed minimum wage. Recall that the federal government offered N60,000 as against the N494,000 the organised labour demanded.
Daily Trust Saturday reports that the organised labour, compromising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), stormed out of a meeting with representatives of the government in Abuja before the declaration of the intended strike action.
Earlier talks on the minimum wage among the tripartite committee collapsed when the government failed to shift ground on the N60,000 it proposed during the last meeting, a development that prompted strike.
At Tuesday’s meeting, the organised labour again lowered its demand by removing N3,000 from the N497,000 it proposed last week, pegging the new proposal at N494,000.
Speaking at a press briefing at Labour House in Abuja, the president of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, told journalists that the strike action would be total following the expiration of May 31 ultimatum earlier given by the two labour centres.
Ajaero, who was flanked by the president of the TUC, Festus Osifo and other labour leaders at the briefing, called on Nigerians to rise and defend their interest over the failure of the government to prioritise the welfare of workers.
He said, “If you could remember, we had a National Executive Council meeting of the NLC, as well as the TUC, where we were further charged that the leadership should declaration of take charge and take all actions to call government to order at the expiration of the ultimatum.
“Today is May 31, 2024, and this night, the ultimatum expires. So we hereby declare the commencement of a nationwide industrial action, effective from Monday, June 3rd, 2024; and this strike shall be indefinite.
“The strike shall be on until we have a new national minimum wage and until government is serious, and the increase in electricity tariff is reversed. We are united on this and we believe that this is the way forward.”
The labour leader said they would stand in solidarity with workers because they had been bartered and treated badly from May 29 till date. He said the strike would commence by midnight on Sunday.
Ajaero added, “It continues to remain our belief that the people ought to be the only reason for governance and nothing else.
The government must, therefore, seek the welfare of the people at all times. And refusal to put the people first compels all patriots to take the right step in assisting the government to govern well.
“The hike in electricity tariff further impoverishes the already suffering people and denies them the right to decent living. Instead of taking remedial action or engaging in a meaningful dialogue, Nigerians were visited with a barrage of the usual propaganda.
“In the light of this persistent inaction, the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress hereby issue a notice of commencement of an indefinite nationwide strike to the federal government.
“We reiterate that the national minimum wage negotiation exercise has not been concluded and the agreed wage passed into law, the hike in electricity tariff has not reversed and categorisation of consumers into bands not stopped as demanded. Nigerian workers are, therefore, compelled by these failures to embark on an indefinite nationwide industrial action, beginning on Monday, June 3, 2024 to press home our demands.”
He called on all the affiliates and state councils of the NLC and TUC, civil society organisations, market men and women and the general populace to prepare for a decisive action.
“We cannot, and will not accept any further delay or excuses. The welfare of Nigerian workers and people is non-negotiable. And we are ready to take all the necessary steps to ensure that their rights are protected and their voices heard.
“We regret the inconveniences this refusal of the federal government to heed our demands may cause all of us. We assure you of our determination to pursue this cause to its conclusion,” the labour leader said.