Following Federal Government’s failure to arrive at a compromise with members of organised labour over a new minimum wage, the latter have resolved to resume the nationwide strike it suspended a fortnight ago.
This is coming as it also faulted the Federal Government for lying to the world that it was labour that made a proposal of N30,000 as the new minimum wage.
To this end, the unions have declared October 30 as a national mourning and outrage day, pending the strike action slated for November 6.
The mourning and out rage day is to give Nigerians an insight into issues surrounding implementation of a new minimum wage for Nigerian workers.
The organised labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and United Labour Congress (ULC), accused President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration of insincerity and betrayal in the implementation of a new minimum wage.
In a statement jointly signed by presidents of the three labour movements, Ayuba Wabba (NLC), Kaigama Bobboi (TUC) and Joe Ajero (ULC), they pointed out that based on the attitude of government, they resolved to resume the suspended strike on November 6, should the Federal Government fail to agree on N30,000 minimum wage.
The unionists, who accused the government of sabotaging the quick passage of a new minimum wage, argued that it was not true they proposed N30,000 as the new national minimum wage.
They maintained that labour only accepted N30,000 as a compromise to demonstrate the willingness of Nigerian workers to make sacrifice towards nation building.
While explaining there was a document signalling this agreement that had already been signed by some parties, organised labour insists that under no circumstances would workers accept anything to the contrary, as the committee has agreed on the figure during its last sitting.
They lamented that despite government’s promise of returning to the negotiation table for conclusion and implementation of a new considerate figure, which led to suspension of the strike action embarked upon by labour, the road to a new minimum wage has been difficult and tortuous.
According to the unions, “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 National Assembly where we expect the Presidency to work together with the legislators to make it a law so that it can be implemented quickly.
“Imagine Nigerian Governors’ Forum that has six representatives in the tripartite committee jumping in to make excuses after its representatives had made their submissions in the committee.
“We shall consider any governor saying that he is unable to pay as unpatriotic and an enemy of Nigerian workers and masses. We shall vote them out in 2019.”
It noted that since the Federal Government was not prepared to ameliorate the welfare of workers, labour would organise a day of national outrage and mourning to sensitise Nigerians in all states of the federation, including Abuja.
The labour leaders declared that a meeting of various organs of the unions would hold as appropriate to receive reports and make final preparations for engagement with the Federal Government on the matter.
“This is the first time in the history of this nation in recent times that such meeting will take place and this goes a long way to show the seriousness with which Nigerian workers and its leadership hold this matter.
“If nothing is responsibly done by the Federal Government to meet our demands, on Monday, November 6, we shall embark on a nationwide strike to compel this government to show more sensitivity to the plight of Nigerians and the suffering that is decimating our people on daily basis,” the statement said.
The organised labour had suspended its nationwide strike about two three weeks ago following the Federal Government’s readiness to reopen negotiations with the new national minimum wage tripartite committee.
The strike was called at the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum to reconvene the tripartite negotiation meeting, which was abruptly suspended by the Federal Government team led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige.
The strike was mostly felt in government offices and a few private sector establishments.
Health workers in government hospitals also joined the strike to make it more effective.
Announcing the suspension of the strike, Wabba said that labour got a firm commitment from the Federal Government to reopen negotiations with the committee.
He added that the strike was called off to enable a conducive environment for the committee to reconvene and conclude its work.
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