Electricity and water supply to the two buildings of the Senate and the House of Representatives have been sealed off by furious Nigerian workers.
The facilities in the National Assembly complex were not spared as their water and power supply were also affected.
This latest development is coming on the heels of members of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), an ally of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, shutting down the National Assembly in observance with the indefinite strike declared by Organised Labour.
To further drive home their demands, both the entrance and exit gates of the assembly complex were blocked by two buses parked by members of PASAN.
The Organised Labour is obviously leaving no stone unturned, in their bid for a new minimum wage as this latest strike action has shown that they are not to be trifled with, this time around.
They had in the early hours of Monday, June 3, embarked on an indefinite strike after the federal government’s plainly refused to increase the minimum wage above the N60,000 they were proposing.
As it stands, the Organised Labour is demanding the sum of N494,000 as the new minimum wage from the government.
Why It Matters
The shutdown of water and electricity in the Senate and House of Representatives was done in an attempt to disrupt the legislative activities in the country and to press home the seriousness of the situation.
It is no doubt, a bold move by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) and it shows the sheer determination of organized labour to advocate for its workers’ rights and demands.
Their stubborn demand for a substantial increase in the minimum wage to N494,000 is a stark reflection of the ongoing economic struggles and inflation pressures facing the average Nigerian worker, hence, a resolution needs to happen, and fast.
Finally, the scale and impact of this strike mag go on to set a powerful precedent for future labour/strike actions, showing the government the lengths which workers are willing to go to make sure their demands are met.
