Labour organizations in Nigeria may resume their strike on Tuesday, after rejecting the government's proposed minimum wage of N62,000.
The Organised Labour, represented by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), is steadfast in its demand for a N250,000 minimum wage, which they presented during the last meeting of the Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage.
This stance was reiterated by Chris Onyeka, Assistant General Secretary of the NLC, during an interview on Channels Television’s "The Morning Brief" on Monday.
Onyeka emphasized that the one-week grace period given to the Federal Government, which started on June 4, 2024, would end at midnight on Tuesday, June 11, 2024.
“Our position is very clear. We have never considered accepting N62,000 or any other wage that is below what we know is able to sustain Nigerian workers. We will not negotiate a starvation wage,” Onyeka stated.
He further clarified that the NLC and TUC had never entertained the idea of accepting even N100,000 as a minimum wage, standing firm on the demand for N250,000.
Onyeka criticized the government for not addressing the realities faced by Nigerian workers, citing the rising costs of essential goods like rice, yam, and garri.
He urged the Federal Government and the National Assembly to act swiftly by sending an Executive Bill that reflects the proposed N250,000 minimum wage to the legislature.
“If after tomorrow, we have not seen any tangible response from the government, the organs of the Organised Labour will meet to decide on what next,” Onyeka warned.
He explained that the nationwide indefinite strike had merely been paused, and could be reinstated if the government's response remains inadequate.
The labour unions have made it clear that they are ready to resume the industrial action if their demands are not met, putting pressure on the Federal Government to take immediate action to avoid a nationwide disruption.
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