Minimum Wage: Labour May Begin Nationwide Strike Monday, If…

A report has indicated that Organised Labour may begin a nationwide strike on Monday, June 3, over the new minimum wage.

Recall that Labour had walked out of the meeting last Tuesday after accusing government negotiators of unseriousness in the negotiation process.

According to Vanguard, some individuals are accusing the state governors of ganging up against the Federal Government to stall the ongoing negotiation.

Nonetheless, some Labour sources, who spoke to the aforementioned publication, stated that nationwide strike might start on Monday, depending on the outcome of the meeting to be held today.

According to the sources, organised labour is already mobilizing for a strike from Monday, June 3.

A labour leader said, “The outcome of tomorrow’s (today) will determine our next line of action. If the meeting comes out fruitful, better for everyone.

“But should government’s team continue with its carefree attitude and disdain for workers’ welfare, nothing will stop us from going on strike from Monday. We are already mobilizing for the strike.

“Everyone knows that the one-month ultimatum we gave to the government to conclude negotiations on the new national minimum wage ends tomorrow (today). We have been patient amid the hardship and mass suffering inflicted on us by the government’s anti-poor policies.

“Besides that, the issue of the minimum wage is statutory. The old Minimum Wage Act ceased to exist since April 18. We had more than six months, at least, to work on a new minimum wage.

“But the government has not been serious with issues affecting workers. Well, Nigerians can bear us witness that we have been patient with this government. If the government knows what is good for it, let its negotiators come up with something reasonable to meet workers’ expectations, otherwise, strike will be inevitable from Monday.”

A source from the presidency also told the publication that the unwillingness of the governors to comply to a reasonable new minimum wage is putting pressure on the federal government.

According to the Presidency source, “The unwillingness of most of the state governors to commit to a reasonable new national minimum wage is putting pressure on the federal government to do the needful.

“Even though what labour is demanding is on the high side, the Federal Government is under pressure from the state governors not to give in to labour’s demand. They have been insisting that they do not have the resources to pay a high wage.

“You can see that they have been shunning the ongoing negotiations because they are afraid to come to the open to put forward their arguments. They cannot continue to shy away. We know there are challenges, we have to face it one way or the other. We must come up with a new national minimum wage. It is a law that we have to abide with.”