The Organised Labour has reiterated that the one-week grace period it extended to the Federal Government last Tuesday, June 4, 2024, will expire at midnight on Tuesday, June 11, 2024.
This extension was given to allow the government time to address the demands of workers, failing which the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) would convene to decide on the resumption of a nationwide industrial action.
Chris Onyeka, an Assistant General Secretary of the NLC, emphasized the urgency of the situation on Monday morning. He clarified that the responsibility now lies with the Federal Government and the National Assembly to act on the workers’ demands.
Onyeka stated, “The Federal Government and the National Assembly have the call now. It is not our call. Our demand is there for them to look at and send an Executive Bill to the National Assembly, and for the National Assembly to look at what we have demanded, the various facts of the law, and then come up with a National Minimum Act that meets our demands.”
Onyeka warned that failure to address these demands by the end of the grace period would prompt the organs of the Organised Labour to reconvene and decide on the next steps. “If that does not meet our demand, we have given the Federal Government a one-week notice to look at the issues and that one week expires tomorrow (Tuesday). If after tomorrow, we have not seen any tangible response from the government, the organs of the Organised Labour will meet to decide on what next.”
When questioned about the potential outcomes if the government maintains its stance on the ₦62,000 minimum wage, Onyeka pointed out that the Labour’s position has been clear from the start.
“It was clear what we said. We said we are relaxing a nationwide indefinite strike. It’s like putting a pause on it. So, if you put a pause on something and that organs that govern us as trade unions decide that we should remove that pause, it means that we go back to what was in existence before.”
The labour unions had previously initiated an indefinite strike to push for better wages and working conditions, which was paused in anticipation of constructive dialogue with the government. The unions demand that the government promptly send an Executive Bill to the National Assembly to establish a National Minimum Act that aligns with their expectations.
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