The leadership of organized labour in Nigeria has refused to back down from its imposed indefinite strike, informing its members, this morning to stay home in order to press home their demands. The leadership of the Nigeria labour congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), had declared an indefinite strike action after their ongoing negotiations with the federal government over a new minimum wage hit a dead end on Friday. The union leaders, therefore, ordered an industrial action to commence today, Monday, June 3rd, 2024, but in a last-ditch attempt to salvage the situation, the leadership of the national assembly, led by the senate president, Godswill Akpabio, summoned the workers to a meeting on Sunday evening.
The meeting had in attendance, labour leaders; Joe Ajaero, president of the NLC and president of the TUC, Festus Osifo. On the side of the government, George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF)Atiku Bagudu, the Minister of National Planning, Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance, Nkiruka Onyejiocha Minister of State for Labour and Productivity, and Adebayo Adelabu, Minister of power.
Rising from the meeting, the leader of the TUC, Festus Osifo, told newsmen that the executive of the labour unions could not take any actions without consulting their membership base. “There was an appeal from the Senate President to call off the strike. It is difficult and in fact impossible for us as labour leaders to call off the strike here. We need to communicate with our various organs, meaning that the industrial action starts on Monday as planned “, he said.
The president of the senate, Godswill Akpabio, on his part, had appealed to the union to shelve their proposed strike action and continue negotiations with the government, noting the ₦494,000 minimum wage demand of the unions could potentially cripple the economy. Akpabio also argued it would be difficult to negotiate during a strike action and urged the labour leaders to consider shifting grounds. The senate president also appealed to the federal government to reintroduce the ₦35,000 wage award to workers pending the outcome of ongoing negotiations.
“We have appealed to the organized labour to shelve the strike action because of the consequences and collateral damage involved. For example, we cannot at this time allow hospitals to be shut down to save the lives of those on emergencies or aided by oxygen to breathe
“We are very much aware of all the steps taken by the Federal Government and Labour to agree on acceptable minimum wage and very much ready to join in the negotiation by reaching out to President Bola Tinubu”,
“We resolved that the Federal Government should re-introduce the wage Award of ₦35,000 given to all categories of federal workers from October last year to February this year, pending the time the issue of minimum wage is resolved,” Akpabio said.
The minister of information, Mohammed Idris, promised the federal government will reintroduce the wage award. “In as much the federal government wants to improve the welfare and wellbeing of her 12 million workers, it is also very mindful of the welfare and wellbeing of the remaining 200million people”, Idris sated.
“Nigeria cannot afford strike action now. The leadership of the labour union should please reason with government and appeal made to it by leaders of the National Assembly”, he urged.
