FG Reacts To Labour’s Nationwide Strike Notice

Eko Hot Blog reports that the Federal Government has pleaded with Organised Labour to reconsider its decision to embark on an indefinite strike from Monday, June 3, 2024, in protest against the government’s refusal to raise the proposed minimum wage from N60,000.

The interest of the masses should be the top priority of Organised Labour, the Federal Government stressed.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Idris Mohammed, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with Saturday PUNCH.

While describing the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress as partners in Project Nigeria, Mohammed noted that industrial action was not the solution to the ongoing negotiation for a new minimum wage for workers.

This came hours after Organised Labour declared a nationwide strike, which would begin on Monday, June 3, 2024, over the Federal Government’s refusal to raise the proposed minimum wage from N60,000.

President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, stated that the indefinite strike would begin by midnight on Monday.

The NLC leader, who read from a jointly prepared speech alongside his TUC counterpart, Festus Osifo, expressed what he described as “grave concern and disappointment” over the Federal Government’s failure to conclude and pass into law a new National Minimum Wage Act, and reverse the hike in electricity tariff to N65/kWh.

Ajaero noted that the Friday meeting between the government and Labour further demonstrated the lack of seriousness and apparent contempt with which the Nigerian state held the demands of Nigerian workers and people.

“No governor was present and ministers were 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 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.”

Ajaero further noted that during the last May Day celebration, Organised Labour issued an ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding the conclusion of the minimum wage negotiation exercise by the end of the month.

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