Looming Strike: ‘Keep National Grid Operational’ – Nigerians Beg NLC

• Nigerians appeal to organized labour not to switch off the national grid if they resume their strike over minimum wage demands.

• Organized labour, including NLC and TUC, insists on a ₦250,000 living wage and rejects proposals of ₦62,000 or ₦100,000 as insufficient.

• Labour has given the government a deadline until June 11, 2024, to address their demands, after which a nationwide strike may resume.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that Nigerians have taken to social media to appeal to organized labour not to switch off the national grid if they resume their strike over demands for a new national minimum wage.

The appeal from netizens started trending on Monday as Nigerians await the next step in the dispute between the government and labour over the new minimum wage figure.

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Despite the appeals, some believe switching off the national grid is the fastest way for labour to press their demands.

This online media platform gathered that the organized labour, consisting of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), has insisted it will reject any proposal of ₦62,000 or ₦100,000 as a “starvation wage” for Nigerian workers.

Labour’s latest demand of ₦250,000 as the living wage for the average Nigerian worker was reiterated during the Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage meeting held last week. An Assistant General Secretary of the NLC, Chris Onyeka, reiterated the organization’s stance during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief show on Monday.

Onyeka stated that the one-week grace period extended to the Federal Government on June 4, 2024, would lapse by midnight on Tuesday, June 11, 2024. He emphasized that if the Federal Government and National Assembly fail to address the workers’ demands by then, the NLC and TUC organs will convene to determine the resumption of the nationwide industrial action that was suspended last week.

Nigerians have expressed mixed reactions regarding the potential impact on the national grid if the strike resumes.

See some comments culled from the X platform.

@SirDavidBent: I’m not saying NLC shouldn’t go on strike, but whatever they do, make dem no touch that National Grid.

Petrol is 750/litre.

End.

@Letter_to_Jack: Do what you have to, but keep your hands of the National Grid this time. For the sake of some of us who want to watch Euros and other patriotic citizens who care about people in hospitals who need light in ICU.

Thanks and God bless.

@Morris_Monye: As much as we don’t want NLC to touch National grid, they will.

It’s an inconvenience but they will anyways to drive home the point.

@Oladapomikky1: NLC can strike but abeg make Unna no go near National Grid again ooo

After the strike Tuesday, NLC should declare a nationwide protest on Wednesday. What is good for Goodluck Jonathan is also good for Tinubu.

@Awoken9ijaYouth: Next time the National Grid collapses in Nigeria, all those that blasted Labor sighting hospitals as public blackmail, keep the same energy to blast the operators oh! Else thunder will fire you and yours will be on a hospital table for real that day!

@harfsertEbrahem: Strike and National grid don dey top trend sef before the actions….. Interesting 😂😂😂

@AbigailFestus3: Please don’t turn off the National grid, some of us don’t feed from the govt and we don’t receive minimum wage.
You’ll be adding to the problems of the common man if you turn off the grid, please. Thank you!

I stand with NLC still, cost of living is on the rise.

@valardohareis: Don’t leave any National grid for anybody, cut it off because Nigerians are too docile when it comes to fighting for their rights.

@unclechrizvibe: If they strike without touching the national grid nobody will come out of their home to protest they will either watch movie or press phone throughout.

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@vinc_evi: In all our efforts for the progress of this country, the strike is commendable. But please, do not shut down the National Grid again! At that point, almost all will be negatively impacted!

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