Labour begins nationwide strike on Monday over minimum wage, electricity tariff hike

The organized labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), has declared an indefinite strike beginning on June 3, 2024.

According to the organized labour, the strike has become necessary as the Federal Government appears recalcitrant in its refusal to increase the N60,000 it offered at the resumption of the tripartite committee meeting in Abuja on Friday.

The strike was declared at a joint press conference by NLC President Joe Ajaero and TUC President Festus Osifo.

The President of the TUC Festus Osifo announced the strike at a joint news conference with the leadership of the NLC in Abuja on Friday.

According to the labour leaders, the decision follows the expiration of an earlier request to the Federal Government to conclude all negotiations for a new minimum wage before the end of May.

“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,” Osifo said.

“We reiterate that since the National Minimum Wage negotiation exercise has not been concluded and the agreed wage passed into law; the hike in electricity tariff has not been reversed and the categorization of consumers into Bands has 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.”

Osifo stated, “As you are aware, we had the last meeting preceding today, which was on Tuesday. In that meeting, they (the government) offered N60,000. They invited us for a meeting today (Friday), and we deliberated on it, thinking they were showing the necessary commitment.

“To our surprise, there was no serious representation from either the Federal Government or the state governors who are supposed to be part of the negotiations.

“So, technically, we felt they have abandoned us because they remained adamant about the N60,000 offer. Not even a kobo was added to what we rightfully rejected.”

Ajaero noted that the Friday meeting between the government and labour further demonstrated the unseriousness and apparent contempt with which the Nigerian state holds the demands of Nigerian workers and people.

“No governor was present and ministers absent except the Minister of State for Labour and Employment who doubles as a conciliator. There was none present on the side of the government with the appropriate authority to commit them to any outcome; in essence, the government abandoned the meeting. We consider this disdainful and shows a lack of commitment to a successful National Minimum Wage negotiation exercise,” he said.

Ajaero noted that during the last May Day celebration on May 1, 2024, organised labour issued an ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding the conclusion of the minimum wage negotiation by the end of the month.

“However, there has been no significant progress or commitment from the government towards meeting this demand.

“We also demanded a reversal of the last hike in electricity tariff to N225/kwh back to N65/kWh and stoppage of the apartheid categorization of consumers into Bands. We carried out a nationwide one-day protest on the 13th day of May 2024 giving the government until the last day of this month to take action but the government has not entirely shown any positive response despite the national outrage at this insensitive hike.

“Nigerian workers, who are the backbone of our nation’s economy, deserve fair and decent wages that reflect the current economic realities,” Ajaero said.

He further said it was disheartening that despite the repeated calls and the clear ultimatum issued, the government continues to neglect its responsibility to the workforce.

Ajaero also said the government, rather than engage in a dialogue persistently raised its attack dogs to seek to denigrate and intimidate trade union leaders.