NLC threatens : nationwide strike to begin November 6

This further announcement was unveiled by the president of the
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba
Wabba, andalso the United Labour
Congress (ULC), Joe Ajaero, in a press statement on
Sunday, October 21.

The labour unions are not happy as
government’s claim that no amount was
agreed with the labour leaders at a meeting
of a tripartite committee and also the FG's
stance that it could only increase the
minimum wage from the current N18,000
to N24,000.
According to the labour unions, they agreed
to N30,000 during the negotiation.

Read the statement released on media below>>

"It has become imperative at this time that
Nigerians recall the events that led to the last
nation-wide strike which forced the federal
government to return to Negotiation table
that they had earlier abandoned. Nigerians
should not forget the promises made by the
same Government while pledging to return to
the negotiation table leading to the
suspension of the strike action.
"These are also within the context of the
difficulties; the tortuous journey that have
trailed the renegotiation of a new national
minimum wage since the expiration of the
last one in 2016; ranging from the refusal of
the government to commit to its
renegotiation even after the 16-Man
technical committee had concluded its work
and it became necessary to set up and
inaugurate a tripartite committee to
commence work on a new one. All the foot-
dragging of the federal government to allow
the committee to begin its work should also
be remembered and the pressures that had to
be brought to bear on them to allow the
committee commence its work after
inauguration. Every step of the way has been
one pot hole or the other.
"All these are clearly not pointers to a party
whose negotiation motives are in good faith
but expressly demonstrate to all Nigerians
that this party was unfortunately willing
from beginning to play games on a life and
death issue like a new national minimum
wage for Nigerian workers.
"Thus far, the path to a new national
minimum wage has been expectedly littered
with betrayal, resistance, half-truths and
now almost outright sabotage. That is why it
has become urgent that Nigerians are
informed of the insistence of the federal
government to deliberately create confusion
and make the negotiations for a new
national minimum wage inconclusive as
usual.
"It is not true that we proposed N30,000 as
the new national minimum wage. It is also
not true that the committee did not agree on
a figure during its last sitting. We accepted
N30,000 as a compromise to demonstrate
the willingness of Nigerian workers to make
sacrifices towards nation building.
"Anything to the contrary no matter the
quantum and character of the din or how
well couched it may appear cannot be true.
Resorting to Goebbelsianism at this time of
national emergency which requires men and
women of integrity is rather unfortunate and
cannot suddenly make the brazen falsehoods
truths.
"We believe that it has become necessary for
the Organised Private Sector (OPS) as
represented in the Tripartite Committee to
speak up on this matter. Keeping silent in the
face of this apparent mischief does our
nation no good. It can only help mischief,
dishonesty and impunity to grow. At this
time the OPS does not have any other choice
but to rise to the occasion by telling
Nigerians what transpired in the meeting..
They should tell Nigerians whether::
there was a motion that was seconded on a
final figure
there was a document signaling this
agreement that had already been signed by
some parties?
the N30,000 figure was ours or a
compromise figure based on proposed
scenarios?
"As far as Nigerian workers are concerned
and as represented by us, we shall no longer
negotiate on a figure for the new minimum
wage having reached an agreement on this
during the last sitting of the tripartite
committee. We cannot continue discussing a
figure that has already been agreed
procedurally within the committee.
"What we are waiting for is for the federal
Government to immediately set in motion the
necessary machinery for turning the
agreement into a Bill for onward submission
to the NASS where we expect the Presidency
to work together with the Legislators to
make it a law so that it can be
implemented.quickly.
"We are not amused by the feeble and
laughable attempt the federal government is
making to intimidate and cow the trade
union movement and its leadership in the
country all in a bid to subjugate the will of
Nigerian workers over the national minimum
wage.
"The pronouncements of the Federal
Executive Council (FEC) as it concern trade
union operations in the country are very
unfortunate. We see it as another step down
the road to fascism as this Government
continues to demonstrate high-handedness
and rabid insensitivity to the plight of the
citizens and any other opposing views.
"A nation where governments owe its
workforce several months in arrears of
unpaid salaries has not sought ways to
eliminate it is rather seeking ways to gag
same workers from protesting this crime
against them and their families. It is akin to
‘’beating a child and denying him the right to
cry’’ Has the Government considered ‘’No
Pay, No Work’?’ Has it considered
criminalizing non-payment of workers;
salaries? Has it considered paying arrears of
salaries with interests? Of course, it has not!
They are only interested in “No Work, No
Pay” Seekiing ways to constantly gag and
put workers in a strait jacket has always
been their pastime.