The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have declared an indefinite nationwide strike beginning from Monday, June 3rd, over the tripartite committee’s inability to agree on a new minimum wage and reversal of a recent hike in electricity tariffs.
The negotiations finally collapsed after failed 7th attempts by the 37 members’ tripartite committee to reach a definite new minimum wage figure for Nigerian workers with the organized labour expressing frustration over the government’s lack of commitment and representation at the negotiation meeting.
Comrade Joe Ajaero, President, of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the president of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) while briefing newsmen in Abuja on Friday explained that there were no substantive ministers presented at the reconvened meeting and therefore no federal government authority to make decisions.
“The decision follows the expiration of the deadline of May 31, 2024, given to the Federal Government to conclude all negotiations for a new minimum wage.
“Since the National Minimum Wage negotiation exercise has not been concluded and the agreed wage passed into law; the hike in electricity tariff has not been reversed and the categorization of consumers into Bands has not stopped as demanded; Nigerian workers are compelled by these failures to embark on an indefinite nationwide industrial action beginning on Monday, the 3rd of June, 2024 to press home our demands.”
The labour unions have expressed further disappointment with the government’s lack of seriousness and apparent disregard for the demands of Nigerian workers.
O labour have emphasized that Nigerian workers, who form the backbone of the nation’s economy, are entitled to fair wages that align with current economic realities.
They said: “The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) express grave concern and disappointment over the federal government’s failure to conclude and pass into law a new National Minimum Wage Act and reverse the vexatious hike in electricity tariff to N65/kWh.
“Today’s meeting further demonstrated the unseriousness and apparent contempt with which the Nigerian state holds the demands of Nigerian workers and people. No Governor was present and Ministers absent except the Minister of state for Labour and Employment who doubles as a conciliator. There was none present on the side of the government with appropriate authority to commit them to any outcome; in essence, the Government abandoned the meeting”.
“We consider this disdainful and show lack of commitment to a successful national minimum wage negotiation exercise.
“In light of this persistent inaction, we, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), hereby issue a notice of commencement of an indefinite nationwide strike to the federal government.
“We reiterate that since the national minimum wage negotiation exercise has not been concluded and the agreed wage passed into law; the hike in electricity tariff not reversed and categorization of consumers into Bands not stopped as demanded; Nigerian workers are compelled by these failures to embark on an indefinite nationwide industrial action beginning on Monday, the 3rd of June, 2024 to press home our demands”.
They called on all affiliates, state councils, civil society organizations, market men and women, and the general populace to unite in demanding the government’s attention to the welfare of its people.
Reacting to the declaration of the strike, the federal government accused Labour of walking out of negotiations and acting hastily, while the next meeting has been scheduled for Monday.
Although the federal government at the meeting earlier in the week shifted ground from the previous N57, 000 to a new proposal of N60, 000.
However, the organised labour rejected the offer and reduced their demand from N497,000 stance of last week to N494,000.
The federal government through the minister of Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha appealed to the organized labour to be considerate and patriotic in their demands for a new minimum wage.
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