The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) confirmed on Sunday, June 2, that their planned indefinite strike over the new minimum wage will proceed as scheduled.
The organized labour said its decision stands despite last-minute efforts by the National Assembly leadership to prevent a potential economic shutdown by the unions.
The unions said that they will meet and discuss the appeal made by the leadership of the National Assembly in need to suspend the proposed strike and allow for more dialogue with its organs before taking a decision.
The president of TUC, Comrade Festus Osifo, disclosed this while briefing the press on the outcome of the over four hours meeting between the leadership of organized labour and the leadership of the Senate.
Osifo, who spoke on behalf of organised labour at the briefing said: “Yes, we’ve had a conversation, we’ve had a meeting, and the issues were laid bare for the part of government and what issues are on the part of the organized labour.
“There was an appeal from the Senate President for us to call off the industrial action tonight. But on our path, we said that we have heard him.
“It is not possible for us to sit here and call off any industrial action because there are conditions and precedents given to us by our NEC.
“We would have been much more happier if this evening that we had a great understanding that by tomorrow morning we will sign off issues bordering on the minimum wage. Because as at the last meeting, we were very very close to signing off, I mean close in the sense that if the figures were right, it’s just to prepare the report and sign, so it’s not something that is that lengthy anymore.
“But we have listened to them, we would take all their plea to our organs, and we would have an organ’s meeting taking what they have promised and the pleas that they have made to our organ.
“For now, we don’t have the powers to call off the industrial action, so the industrial action will continue while we would have a conversation with our respective organs as soon as possible to lay bare what they have put forward and what they have proposed.”
Earlier, Akpabio said the strike is not desirable as it would take a negative toll on ordinary Nigerians requiring essential services to survive.
He said the National Assembly will continue its appeal to NLC and TUC to suspend the strike.
Akpabio said: “We decided to intervene because we are a people’s parliament. The 10th National Assembly believes strongly that anything that will bring more yoke, more suffering to the people of Nigeria must be avoided.
“We also know that it’s not just a question of strike in words. Where the hospitals are closed, most poor people will die.
“Those who are even on oxygen will die. Those needing medical services will die. Goods and services will not move freely. Productivity will reduce drastically.
“The living standard of Nigerians will also be impaired. Hence, in the last four hours, we have been making appeals, and we are still appealing to the leadership of the NLC and the TUC to quickly return to the negotiating table with government with a view to finding a lasting solution on this minimum wage issue.
“Without going into more details, I believe we’ve had very positive meeting. We’ve heard from both sides and we are happy and satisfied that actions will be taken on both sides.
“I appeal that the strike be suspended and negotiations commence in the interest of the Nigerian economy and the interest of all Nigerian students.”
Speaking to reporters after the session, the Minister of information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris said Nigeria cannot afford a strike action at this time.
He expressed optimism that Labour would heed the appeal made to it by the leadership of the National Assembly and call of the strike.
Idris said: “You remember that when we signed the agreement with Labour in October of last year, it was agreed that until the new wage regime comes into being, wage award of N35,000 for federally paid workers will continue.
“That is the position of government. The federal government will continue to pay its workers the wage award that was started last year until a new wage regime is instituted.
“Now to make further comments about what has transpired today. You know that we’ve been indoors here with the leadership of both the NLC, Trade Union Congress and their affiliate bodies to find a common ground so that labour will not go on strike as they wanted to do tomorrow.
“We are optimistic that given all the plea that the leadership of the National Assembly led by the President Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, the Deputy President of the Senate Barau Jibrin, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and all the leadership of the National Assembly with the executive arm of government led by the Secretary to to the government of the federation and about seven other ministers in attendance.
“We had a very lengthy conversation with Labour. We had a long debate with them. And at the end of the day, we have pleaded with Labour to see reason why this strike cannot continue.
“Now to make further comments about what has transpired today. You know that we’ve been indoors here with the leadership of both the NLC, Trade Union Congress and their affiliate bodies to find a common ground so that labour will not go on strike as they wanted to do tomorrow.
“We are optimistic that given all the plea that the leadership of the National Assembly led by the President Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, the Deputy President of the Senate Barau Jibrin, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and all the leadership of the National Assembly with the executive arm of government led by the Secretary to to the government of the federation and about seven other ministers in attendance.
“We had a very lengthy conversation with Labour. We had a long debate with them. And at the end of the day, we have pleaded with Labour to see reason why this strike cannot continue.
“Nigeria cannot afford a strike at this moment when we are facing challenges with our economy, when everyone needs to be on hand to ensure that we move to prosperity.
“Strike is not an option at this point. And we believe that the organized labor will see reason with the federal government, the National Assembly and everybody to call off the strike in the interest of Nigeria.
“We know that they had given this warning. Of course, it was a surprise to us that on Friday this came about, but notwithstanding, we have continued to engage labour.
“We want to appeal to them once again, like the Senate president said. And we know, and we do believe they will see words of reasoning from the leadership of the National Assembly.
“They can’t come to the National Assembly and say, you know, they will not listen to the leadership. If they are having problems with the executive, the Senate President has said that he is going to wade in, he is going to talk to the president, the entire leadership of the National Assembly will talk to the president when the present situation of the, minimum wage, you know, the agreed amount by the federal government and the state governments and the organized private sector to pay N60,000.
“They will come back to federal government and in turn we expect that labour will see reason and call off the strike.
“We said earlier that paying this amount that labour has asked for is like paying a cumulative of N9.5 trillion to only 1.2 million Nigerians in a country of over 200 million people and others also deserve other services of government. We have roads to fix, we have hospitals to build, we have education system to fix.
“The federal government is very sensitive to the demand of labour, but we also call on labour to see reason and toe the part of the federal government.
“We know that they are going to heed the call that the leadership of the National Assembly has made to them. We do believe and we sincerely hope that no one is interested in having a strike, an industrial action at this point.”
Indefinite strike begins today, Monday, NLC and TUC insist
