● says must be equal in purchasing power to the value of ₦30,000 in 2019 and ₦18,000 in 2014…
The National Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have called off their nationwide strike for five days following a meeting with the federal government on Monday.
The strike which commenced on Monday 3/6/24 threw the nation into a total black out as the National grid was shut down by workers.
According to reports from Channels Tv; The General Manager (Public Affairs) of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) Ndidi Mbah said the nationwide blackout was due to staff of the TCN, under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Workers (NUEE), completely shutting down all power substations across the country at approximately 2:19 am on Monday, causing the national grid system to drop to zero megawatts.
In compliance with the NLC/TUC order, the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) also shut down operations at the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KAEDCO).
Airports, Hospitals, Schools, Banks and even businesses were shut down.
The TUC President Festus Osifo confirmed the call off of the strike yesterday. The resolution to call off the strike was reached after a meeting was held at the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) George Akume, saw the federal government and the labour unions reach some agreements that were documented and signed by all parties.
Akume, who briefed newsmen on the outcome of discussions, revealed that President Bola Tinubu is committed to a minimum wage higher than ₦60,000.
It stated on the agreement that the Tripartite Committee will meet everyday for the next one week to agree on a minimum wage. It also stated that no worker would be victimised as a result of the industrial action.
The agreement was signed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, and the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, on behalf of the federal government, while the President, of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, and the President, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo, signed on behalf of organized labour.
The TUC leader Festus Osifo was asked in an interview on Channels television if Labour would accept a few thousand naira additions to the last offer of the tripartite committee, the TUC boss said, “No, we also told them that it’s not that we’d get to the table and you start adding ₦1, ₦2, ₦3,000 as you were doing and we got some good guarantees here and there that they would do something good.”
Though the union leader refused to mention a specific amount, he said the new minimum wage must be equal in purchasing power to the value of ₦30,000 in 2019 and ₦18,000 in 2014.
The TUC leader said the little-above-24-hour strike has achieved labour’s aim as it has awoken everyone in the country to the demand of workers.
“What has this strike achieved today? This strike has awoken everybody. I can tell you that between now and the next one week, the entire attention is going to be on the tripartite committee. That was actually what we were trying to achieve and we have achieved that,” he said.
In all of the negotiations it is hoped that Labour prioritises negotiating palliatives such as reduced housing cost for workers like the owners occupier scheme that was effective back in the day, transportation schemes, effective healthcare packages, etc. Inflation, cost of living and tax eats deep into the pocket no matter how much is paid, but with adequate welfare packages, people can live with a minimum wage.
