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Members of the Organised Labour have announced plans to commence an indefinite strike starting Monday, June 3, 2024, over the federal government's failure to meet their demand for the new national minimum wage.
Speaking at a press conference at the Labour House in Abuja, on Friday, May 31, 2024, the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, stressed that the industrial action will last until there's an agreement on a new minimum wage for Nigerian workers.
The labour unions had earlier proposed ₦615,000 as the minimum wage but later adjusted it to ₦500,000 after the Federal Government also raised its own offer from ₦48,00 to ₦54,000.
On Tuesday, Ajaero announced that the government had further increased its offer to ₦60,000 but the proposal is still miles off what the unions might consider acceptable.
Negotiations between the government and labour had been on edge in the last couple of months as both parties struggled to find a middle ground on the matter.
Labour had issued an ultimatum of May 31 for the Federal Government to accede to its demand.
However, the Minister of State for Labour Nkeiruka Onyejeocha while appealing to labour to be considerate, said the government had consistently taken steps to secure a fair and realistic wage for Nigerian workers.
Labour asks Nigerians to stand up for their interest
On Friday, the NLC president said the strike action had become necessary as the Federal Government had failed to raise the minimum wage offer from ₦60,000.
He also called on Nigerians to stand up for their interest as the government has failed to prioritise the welfare of workers.
“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 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.
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“The strike shall be on untill 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 this is the way forward,” Ajaero said.
The NLC president declared that it's high time to stand in solidarity with the working class because they've been bartered and downtrodden by how they've been treated since May 29.
“It continues to remain our belief that the people ought to be the only reason for governance and nothing else. 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 govern well.
“The hike in electricity tariff impoverishes further 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 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 the 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,” he added.