Nigeria: NLC, TUC Suspend Strike

4 June 2024
Premium Times (Abuja)
By Emmanuel Agbo and Ayodeji Adegboyega

The announcement was made by the TUC President, Festus Osifo, following a joint extraordinary national executive council meeting of the unions held in Abuja on Tuesday.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have announced the suspension of their industrial action for one week.

The announcement was made by TUC President, Festus Osifo, following a joint extraordinary national executive council meeting of the unions held in Abuja on Tuesday.

"A joint NEC meeting of TUC/NLC has approved to relax the industrial action for one week with immediate effect," he said.

NLC President, Joe Ajaero, later told PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview that the strike was called off to enable the leadership of the unions to interface with their members.

The unions embarked on the strike on Monday to protest the government's refusal to meet their demand for a minimum wage of N494,000 though the government proposed N60,000.

They had met with the government team led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, on Monday night in Abuja.

Although no amount was agreed upon as the new minimum wage, the parties agreed that the federal government would raise it above the N60,000 it currently offers.

"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," the agreement states.

To expedite a final agreement on the new minimum wage, the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage will meet daily over the week. The goal is to arrive at an agreeable minimum wage that meets the expectations of both the government and the labour unions.

The agreement was signed by Messrs Ajaero and Osifo on the side of labour and the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, and the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, on the government's side.

PREMIUM TIMES reported after the meeting that the labour unions may soon call off the strike following the agreement reached with the government.

Read the original article on Premium Times.

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