The strike will go on as planned - Labour says after meeting with NASS leaders

After a meeting with the echelon of the National Assembly, the organised labour has said the proposed indefinite nationwide strike action scheduled to commence on Monday, June 1, 2024, will go on as planned.

The meeting held on the evening of Sunday, June 2, 2024, was aimed at persuading the labour unions to embrace dialogue instead of embarking on industrial action.

Recall labour had announced last Friday that workers would down tools from Monday following the Federal Government's failure to meet their new minimum wage demands.

In a last-minute move to avert the strike, the lawmakers summoned an emergency meeting with labour leaders to work out a middle ground.

The meeting, presided by the Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajuddeen Abbas, had principal officers of the National Assembly in attendance.

Also present at the meeting were the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume; Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; Minister of Finance, Dr Wale Edun; Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu.

Others were Minister of State for Labour and Productivity, Nkiruka Onyejeocha; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi and Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan.

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However, the last ditch attempt by the government may not have yielded the expected outcome, as hinted by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) President Festus Osifo.

“The Senate President appealed to us to call off the strike. But we can’t sit here and call off the strike because we have other organs. We will take the appeals to our various organs.

“We don’t have the powers to call off the strike action. For now, the strike action will commence, while we discuss with our organs.” Osifo told newsmen after the four-hour closed-door meeting.