The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has indicated a possible nationwide strike after negotiations for a new minimum wage deadlocked again on Tuesday. NLC Deputy President Prof. Theophilus Ndubuaku criticized the government’s revised offer of ₦60,000, up from ₦57,000, which Labour rejected, insisting on ₦494,000.
Ndubuaku emphasized the
government's lack of direction and experience in handling the negotiations.
When asked about the possibility of a strike, he confirmed that the notice had
already been issued and further negotiations were off the table.
Sources revealed that the
tripartite committee’s meeting was postponed indefinitely. Labour had set a May
31 deadline for the new minimum wage announcement, but no agreement was
reached. Ndubuaku stressed that all options, including a strike, remained on
the table.
Another anonymous labour leader
mentioned that the government needs to propose a reasonable offer for Labour to
consider lowering their demands. The Labour union is unified in its stance,
meeting internally before committee discussions to ensure a consistent
position.
Labour leaders walked out of
the meeting to signal their dissatisfaction with the government's seriousness,
reiterating that any offer below ₦77,000 would not be acceptable. The NLC's governing
bodies will decide the next steps after the May 31 deadline.
The Federal Government’s lack
of a substantial increase from the previous offer was viewed as insufficient,
leading to the stalemate and the looming threat of industrial action.
Post a Comment