The Federal government, in an effort to reach a deal with the National Union responsible for nationwide organized industrial action, has planned a meeting with leaders of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade union Congress (TUC).
The emergency meeting which was scheduled for Tuesday by the Federal Government, through the National Salaries Wages and Income Commission, was set up for a review of previously outlined demands by the Union.
Earlier on Monday reports emerged that some unions shut down many public schools, banks, and other workplaces in compliance with orders from the Unions to go on a nationwide strike.
Reiterating the importance of the ongoing nationwide strike and insisting on their stands, the organized labour unions said, “We demand a living wage.”
“More money in the hands of workers would boost the economy because it goes to the market, but money in the hands of politicians is buried in the soakaway pit.”
Previously, the two unions gave the federal government May 31, 2024, as cut-off date for negotiations on the new minimum wage.
They had also, among other demands, persuaded the Nigerian federal government to reverse the hiked electricity tariff to N65/kWh.
A source said the labour unions informed on Friday night that a nationwide strike would begin on Monday, given the Nigerian federal government’s failure to heed to its request for an increase in the proposed minimum wage of N60,000.
Initially, following persuasions by the unions the government increased its earlier planned minimum wage of N57,000 to N60,000, but labour rejected the offer; and insisted on accepting N494,000 minimum wage after removing N3000 from what it had proposed before their last negotiations.
Presidents of the two organized labour unions (Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress), Joe Ajaero and Festus Osifo, in a statement, said they were disappointed at the federal government for not having passed the new National Minimum Wage Act into law.
