Minimum wage: Strike begins today, fuel, health, schools, courts, banks, others to be grounded

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) on Monday withdrawn their services in a nationwide strike to push for a new national minimum wage for workers and the reversal of the electricity tariff hike.

The industrial action comes after a series of unsuccessful negotiations involving NLC, TUC and federal government representatives at the tripartite committee meetings on the new minimum wage.

Negotiations, however, broke down on Friday last week after the government earlier in the week offered a marginal increase of N3,000 to the N57,000 offer it had earlier made to come up with a N60,000 minimum wage proposal, a figure deemed unsatisfactory by Labour representatives.

With today’s strike, the labour centres aim to pressure the government into offering a higher minimum wage. Both congresses insist on N494,000, which they consider adequate to reflect the current rising cost of living.

In letters directed to members, many affiliates such as the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), National Union of Banks Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE), the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE), the National Union of Civil Engineering, Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW), and Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) have concluded mobilisation for today’s nationwide strike.

Other affiliates in conclusive mobilisation include the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), the Nigeria Union of Railway Workers, the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

Unions operating at the nation’s aviation sector, on Sunday, announced their decision to shut down airports across the country in compliance with the directive of the NLC and TUC.

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers(NUPENG) has informed all its officers across the country, including Lagos, that the strike was compulsory.

A notice by the Public Relations Officer(PRO), Lagos Zone of PENGASSAN, Juliana Adenike, said: “Concerning the planned withdrawal of service from all of our offices on Monday, June 3, 2024, there must be strict compliance. It is your responsibility to ensure no entry and exit in your offices by any of our members.”

According to the notice, all executives at every level of leadership of PENGASSAN “are to wear red or any PENGASSAN attire,” adding.

Thefrontrank reports that a statement jointly signed by the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSAN), Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) and National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), the unions said Nigerian local airports would be shut by 00:00hrs on Monday, June 3, 2024 while the strike at international airports commences on Tuesday, June 4, 2024.

According to the statement signed by the general secretary of NUATE, Com. Abba Ocheme; deputy general secretary, ATSSSAN, Com. Frances Akinjole; secretary general, ANAP, Com. Abdul Rasaq Saidu and general secretary, NAAPE, Comrade Olayinka Abioye, the service withdrawal is indefinite.

Also, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has vowed to comply with Labour’s directive to shut down economic activities at the seaports nationwide.

According to a statement by the head of Media, MWUN, Kennedy Ikemefuna, the workers will join in the indefinite strike by enforcing the total lockdown of the country’s seaports commencing from today.

Similarly, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has directed its members to join the nationwide indefinite strike declared by the Organised Labour starting today.

ASUP Secretary General Lawani F. Jimoh, who confirmed this, urged all members to comply fully with the strike directive.

The strike is expected to disrupt activities in polytechnics nationwide, affecting academic schedules.