National Assembly workers opens gates to legislators’ chambers after labour strike
By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
Following the suspension of the strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress on Tuesday afternoon, the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) has opened the gates of the National Assembly to allow lawmakers, staff and visitors access to the complex.
The opening of the gates at about 1pm on Tuesday, June 4, followed the news that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have suspended the strike for one week to allow for further negotiation with the Federal Government.
The National Assembly workers had on Monday locked the gates in solidarity with the NLC and TUC which called for the strike to push for a new minimum wage for Nigerian workers.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, had on Monday led the federal government’s team to meet with the leadership of organised labour to continue negotiation on how to resolve the impasse.
The unions and the federal government had during the meeting signed a pact in which the government agreed to pay higher than the N60,000.00 it earlier offered.
The NLC and TUC had demanded for a national minimum wage of N494,000.00 per month but the government said the amount would stifle its ability to fund critical sectors of the economy like education, defence and healthcare, among others.