After about a four-hour meeting with the leadership of the National Assembly on Sunday evening in Abuja, the Organised Labour in Nigeria says there is no going back on the nationwide industrial action slated for Monday, June 3, 2024.
The Labour Unions announced a nationwide indefinite strike set to commence at midnight on Sunday, June 2, 2024, following the collapse of negotiations regarding a new national minimum wage for workers.
But in a bid to avert the strike, the National Assembly met with the organised labour with the meeting ended in a deadlock.
The meeting was part of a last-minute effort by the legislators to persuade aggrieved workers to shelve their planned industrial action for a new minimum wage.
Speaking for the organized Labour shortly after the meeting, the President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr Festus Osifo said although negations with the government would continue, the strike would go on as scheduled.
He said that given the intervention of the leadership of the National Assembly, they will report back to their members to take a final decision on the strike action.
“For now, we don’t have the power to call off the strike, tomorrow (Monday) morning, the strike will kick off as we take their (NASS) plea asking us to call off the strike to our various organs,” said Mr Osifo.
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Briefing journalists after the meeting, President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, said a tremendous appeal was made to the Labour leaders to call off the planned strike because of the negative implications of the action.
“After about four hours deliberation with the leadership of the Organised Labour, we resolved that the Federal Government should re-introduce the wage award of N35,000 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.
“We have appealed to the organised labour to shelve the strike action because of the consequences and collateral damage involved.
“We are very much aware of all the steps taken by the Federal Government and Labour to agree on an acceptable minimum wage and very much ready to join in the negotiation by reaching out to President Bola Tinubu.
“We believe that leadership of the organised labour after leaving here will reach out to their entire membership to call off the strike in the interest of all Nigerians,” Akpabio said.
On his part, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, said the take-home from the meeting was that the government will continue to pay the wage award pending the time an agreement on minimum wage is reached.
“That leadership of both the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC ) should go and consult with their members on the need to quickly call off the strike in the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians,” he said.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, expressed optimism that the strike will be called off as soon as possible based on an appeal made to them by the leadership of the National Assembly.
He said the Federal Government would continue to pay the N35,000 wage award to all categories of federal workers pending when the new minimum wage issue is resolved.
“Federal government is more than willing to pay its workforce living minimum wage but the N494,000 demanded by labour is too high with attendant N9.5trillion additional financial burden.
“In as much the federal government wants to improve the welfare and wellbeing of her 1.2 million workers, it’s also very mindful of the welfare and wellbeing of the remaining 200 million people.
“Nigeria cannot afford strike action now. The leadership of the labour unions should please reason with government and appeal made to it by leaders of the National Assembly,” the Minister said.
The decision of the Organised Labour to embark on a nationwide industrial strike followed the deadlock between the Federal Government and the unions over a new national minimum wage and reversal of the recent hike in electricity tariffs.
Recently, the federal and state governments, organised labour, and the private sector commenced discussion over the new minimum wage.
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Initially, the labour unions had proposed N615,500 as the minimum wage, citing the high cost of living but the federal government rejected the proposal and offered N48,000 which the organized Labour also rejected.
On May 15, the NLC and TUC rejected the N48,000 minimum wage offered by the government.
On May 21, the federal government increased the proposed minimum wage to N54,000, which the labour again rejected and described as “unacceptable”.
Again, the federal government proposed N60,000, and it was also rejected by the organized Labour.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; Minister Budget and National Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu; Minister of Labour, Mrs. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Minister Of Finance, Mr. Olawale Edu, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, Head of Civil Service, Mrs. Folashade Yemi-Esan, Minister of Power, Mr. Adebayo Adelabu, and the NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, among others, attended the meeting.
