Minimum wage: Labour won’t resume strike Tuesday—Ajaero
CHIGOZIE AMADI
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declared organised labour will not resume strike tomorrow (Tuesday) to further press the government for increase in minimum wage paid workers in the country.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero disclosed this on Monday at a labour conference organised by the International Labour Organisation in Geneva, Switzerland.
Organised labour had relaxed for one-week the indefinite nationwide strike declared last Monday to allow continuation of negotiations.
Both the NLC and Trade Union Congress, TUC had declared an indefinite nationwide strike, midnight of June 2, in protest against non-conclusion of national minimum wage fixing and non reversal of hike in electricity tariff.
Labour relaxed the indefinite strike, following the resolution by the federal government to offer more than the N60,000, it put forward to the tripartite committee.
The government had tabled a N62,000 minimum wage to labour, following renewed negotions. However, labour had insisted on N250,000.
But speaking in Geneva yesterday, Ajaero ruled out labour will resume the strike on Tuesday, stressing that organised labour is waiting for the pronouncement of President Bola Tinubu on the matter.
“The tripartite committee submitted two figures to the President. Government and employers proposed N62,000 while labour proposed N250,000. We are waiting for the decision of the President. Our National Executive Council (NEC) will deliberate on the new figure when it is out.
“We cannot declare strike now because the figures are with the President. We will wait for the President’s decision. During the tenure of the immediate past President, the figure that was proposed to him was N27,000 by the tripartite committee but he increased it to N30,000.
“We are hopeful that this President will do the right thing. The President had noted that the difference between N62,000 and N250,000 is a wide gulf,” Ajaero said.
