By Jonathan Ugbal
The Organized Labour in Nigeria on Friday announced Monday, June 3rd 2024 as the commencement date of an indefinite nationwide strike over the breakdown of negotiations on a new living wage for workers as well as the failure of the Government to reverse the increase in electricity tariffs.
Comrade Joe Ajaero Esq, President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC and Comrade Engr. Festus Osifo of the Trade Union Congress, TUC while announcing the strike during a press conference in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory lamented the way government went about the negotiations.
Organized Labour accused the government of abandoning the negotiations as they failed to turn up for the last meeting and described the categorisation of electricity consumers into bands as ‘apartheid.’
Read the full statement below…
COMMENCEMENT OF AN INDEFINITE NATIONWIDE STRIKE OVER THE INCONCLUSIVE NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE NEGOTIATION AND REFUSAL TO REVERSE THE HIKE IN ELECTRICITY TARIFF
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) express 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 vexatious hike in electricity tariff to N65/kwh.
Today’s meeting further demonstrated the unseriousness and apparent contempt with which the Nigerian state holds the demands of Nigerian workers and people. No Governor was present and Ministers 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 lack of commitment to a successful National Minimum Wage negotiation exercise.
You will all recall that during the last May Day celebration on the 1st of May 2024, we issued a clear ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding the conclusion of this critical exercise by the end of the month. However, there has been no significant progress or commitment from the government towards meeting this demand.
We also demanded a reversal of the last hike in electricity tariff to N225/kwh back to N65/kwh and stoppage of the apartheid categorization of consumers into Bands. We carried out a nationwide one-day protest on the 13th day of May 2024 giving the government until the last day of this month to take action but the government has not entirely shown any positive response despite the national outrage at this insensitive hike.
Nigerian workers, who are the backbone of our nation’s economy, deserve fair and decent wages that reflect the current economic realities.
It is disheartening that despite our repeated calls and the clear ultimatum issued, the government continues to neglect its responsibility to the workforce. It has, rather than engage in a dialogue, persistently raised its attack dogs to seek to denigrate and intimidate trade union leaders.
It continues to remain our belief that the people ought to be the only reason for governance and nothing else. Government must therefore seek the welfare of the people at all times and refusal to put the people first compels all patriots to take the right step in assisting the government govern well. The hike in electricity tariff impoverishes further the already suffering people and denies them the right to decent living. Instead of taking remedial action or engaging in a meaningful dialogue, Nigerians were visited with a barrage of the usual propaganda.
In light of this persistent inaction, we, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), hereby issue a notice of commencement of an indefinite nationwide strike to the Federal Government. We reiterate that the since the National Minimum Wage negotiation exercise has not been concluded and the agreed wage passed into law; the hike in electricity tariff not reversed and categorization of consumers into Bands not stopped as demanded; Nigerian workers are compelled by these failures to embark on an indefinite nationwide industrial action beginning on Monday, the 3rd of June, 2024 to press home our demands.
The NLC and TUC are united in this cause, and we call on all our affiliates and state Councils, Civil Society Organizations, market men and women and the general populace to prepare for a decisive action. We cannot and will not accept any further delays or excuses. The welfare of Nigerian workers and people is non-negotiable, and we are ready to take all necessary steps to ensure that their rights are protected and their voices heard.
We regret the inconveniences this refusal of the federal government to heed our demands may cause all of us but we assure you of our determination to pursue this cause to its conclusion.
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