NLC Suspends Nationwide Strike For Five Days

The Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have agreed to suspend their strike action by five days in order to focus on negotiations with the government on a new minimum wage.

Organised Labour had embarked on a strike on Monday, June 3, 2024, and shutdown operations throughout the country, including strategic places such as the national grid, which plunged the nation into darkness, airports, and car parks, among others.

Following the strike, the government swiftly moved into negotiations with the organized labour as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, had a long meeting with the Labour leader, Joe Ajaero, and other officials.

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During the meeting, the SGF assured the organized labour of President Tinubu’s willingness to increase the minimum wage to over the “60,000” initially proposed by the government.

“The President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, is committed to a National Minimum Wage that is higher than N60,000,” a statement from the meeting said.

“Arising from the above, the Tripartite Committee is to meet every day for the next one week with a view to arriving at an agreeable National Minimum Wage.

“Labour, in deference to the high esteem of the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria’s commitment in (ii) above, undertakes to convene a meeting of its organs immediately to consider this commitment; and

“No worker would be victimized as a result of the industrial action.”

It remains to be seen what line of action the government will take to ensure that the country is not shut down again.