Labour Begins Nationwide Strike Today

Despite earlier pleas from the federal government for consideration, the organised labour has today withdrawn their services in a nationwide strike to push for a new national minimum wage for workers.

The industrial action comes after a series of unsuccessful negotiations involving both the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and federal government representatives at the tripartite committee meetings on the new minimum wage.

Negotiations, however, broke down on Friday last week after the government earlier in the week offered a marginal increase of N3,000 to the N57,000 offer it had earlier made to come up with a N60,000 minimum wage proposal, a figure deemed unsatisfactory by Labour representatives.

With today’s strike, the labour centres aim to pressure the government into offering a higher minimum wage. Both congresses insist on N494,000, which they consider adequate to reflect the current rising cost of living.

In letters directed to members, many affiliates such as the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), National Union of Banks Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE), the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE), the National Union of Civil Engineering, Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW), and Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) have concluded mobilisation for today’s nationwide strike.

Other affiliates in conclusive mobilisation, as sighted by LEADERSHIP, include the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), the Nigeria Union of Railway Workers, the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

Meanwhile, the National Assembly has took steps to mediate and avert today’s strike from taking place, but both parties failed to reach an agreement.

Credit: Leadership