The leadership of the National Assembly rushed to a late-night meeting on Sunday with the heads of the Organised Labour unions in Abuja. This eleventh-hour scramble aimed to dissuade furious workers from launching a massive strike over the demand for a new minimum wage.
What They Are Saying
Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and Festus Osifo, President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), met with Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas. The aim? To avert the “looming industrial action” set to commence on Monday, June 3, 2024, which is feared to bring significant chaos to the nation’s economy and daily life.
This crisis erupted because talks between the Federal Government and the unions hit a brick wall over a new national minimum wage and the reversal of recent electricity tariff hikes. The Labour unions argue that the current minimum wage of ₦30,000 is laughably insufficient for the average Nigerian worker’s survival. To make matters worse, many state governors aren’t even paying this meager amount, despite the law mandating it. This law, signed by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019, expired in April 2024 and is supposed to be reviewed every five years to reflect current economic realities.
Why It Matters
The National Assembly, with the Chairmen of the Senate and House Committees on Labour, Employment and Productivity, Diket Plang and Adegboyega Adefarati, tried to mediate. But let’s face it, their efforts seemed more like a futile gesture to avoid a full-blown crisis.
The Labour unions had given the Federal Government until May 31 to set a new minimum wage. When the deadline passed without an agreement, they announced a nationwide strike starting June 3. This decision came after Labour firmly rejected three offers from the government, the highest being a paltry ₦60,000. The unions are holding out for a minimum wage of ₦497,000 – a figure that probably gave the government negotiators heart palpitations.
Bottom Line
As the clock ticks towards the strike date, the government seems desperate, but it’s clear the unions are not in the mood for compromises.
