June 4, (THEWILL)- The hope of possible suspension of the ongoing strike by organised labour heightened on Monday night, as the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) said it would convene a meeting on Tuesday, to deliberate on the strike.
This is coming after the Federal Government assured members of organised labour that President Bola Tinubu is committed to a minimum wage higher than N60,000.
These were part of the outcome of an emergency meeting between the Federal Government delegation led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, and the leadership of organised labour held in Abuja on Monday night.
THEWILL earlier reported that the Federal Government, alarmed by the level of compliance and participation by workers on the first day of the indefinite nationwide strike by organised labour, invited leaders of the NLC and TUC to an emergency meeting at the Office of the SGF.
At the end of the meeting, the Federal Government assured the workers that the President would offer a minimum wage higher than N60,000, saying no worker would be victimised as a result of the nationwide strike.
The meeting also resolved to further the ongoing negotiations by the tripartite committee which will meet daily for one week.
Meanwhile, the leaders of organised labour have also resolved that the Unions (the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC) will convene on Tuesday, to consult their members and make a decision regarding the nationwide strike.
A resolution signed on behalf of the Federal Government by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, and on behalf of the organised labour by Joe Ajaero, President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Festus Osifo, President, Trade Union Congress (TUC), reads:
“Further to the negotiation by the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage (NMW) and subsequent withdrawal of Labour from negotiation, the Leadership of the National Assembly intervened on 2nd June, 2024. The Organised Labour declared a nationwide strike on Monday, 3rd June, 2024 to drive home its demands.
“The Federal Government, in the National interest, convened a meeting with Labour held in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, on Monday 3rd June, with a view to ending the strike action.
“After exhaustive deliberation and engagement by both parties, the following resolutions were reached:
I. 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;
II. Arising from the above, the Tripartite Committee is to meet every day for the next one week with a view to arriving at an agreeable National Minimum Wage;
III. Labour, in deference to the high esteem of the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria’s commitment in (ii) above, undertakes to convene a meeting of its organs immediately to consider this commitment; and
IV. No worker would be victimised as a result of the industrial action.”
