The Organized Labor leadership says there is no going back on the planned nationwide strike that is set to begin on Monday, June 3, 2024, following about four-hour discussion with the National Assembly leadership on Sunday night in Abuja.
“We don’t have the power to call off the strike, tomorrow (Monday) morning, the strike will kick off as we take their (NASS) plea asking us to call off the strike to our various organs,” TUC President Festus Osifo stated.
President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Joe Ajaero told the leaders a the meeting that demands of the Congress was in the interest of Nigerian workers.
TUC President, Comrade Festus Osifo appreciated the leadership of the National Assembly for convening the emergency meeting and appealed to them to resolve the matter once and for all after about four months of negotiation.
The decision of the Organised Labour followed the deadlock between the Federal Government and the unions over a new national minimum wage and reversal of the recent hike in electricity tariffs.
Labour had given Federal Government a May 31 deadline for the a new minimum wage. On Friday at a joint media conference the Organized Labour declared a nationwide strike beginning from Monday, June 3, 2024 over the government committee’s inability to agree on a new minimum wage and reversal of electricity tariff hike.
Labour rejected the latest offer from the Federal government being N60,000. Both the TUC and the NLC subsequently pulled out of negotiations, insisted on ₦497,000 as the new minimum wage.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas commended the Labour for honoring their invitation but emphasized the need for strong collaboration among all the parties and arrived at a reasonable figure that would be acceptable to all parties.
Those at the meeting are Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Muhammed Idris, Minister of Labour and Employment, Nkieruka Onyejeocha, Minister of state for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of Economy, Wale Edun.
Others are Minister of Budget and National Planning, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume and Head of service of the Federation, Mrs Folashade Esan and other principal officers of both the Senate and House of representatives.
RN
