Organised Labour Told To Begin Nationwide Strike Immediately Over Minimum Wage Delay

The Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights, CDWR, has called on Ogranised Labour to immediately mobilize and declare a nationwide strike over the minimum wage and the recent hike in electricity tariff.  According to CDWR, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, as the next step in the minimum wage struggle, should declare and mobilise widely for a 48-hour general strike and mass protest to demand a minimum wage not less than N200, 000 and the reversal of all anti-poor policies (privatization, deregulation, subsidy removal, electricity tariff hike etc). In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chinedu Bosah, CDWR said “The NLC and TUC have been at loggerheads with the government and private sector over a new minimum wage and negotiation has been deadlocked for over 3 weeks and still counting. Government and Private Sector insistence on paying N60, 000 provoked the declaration of an indefinite strike which started on June 3rd 2024 but was suspended on the 4th of June, 2024.  “The suspension was to last for five days but it does not appear that the labour leadership put in place any plan of action should the government as usual failed to meet their demands as many principal leaders proceeded on the trip to the meetings of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Switzerland. This is the second time the labour leadership has suspended action this year and gone to sleep. The first one was a 2-week ultimatum that was declared following the suspension of a nationwide mass protest on February 28, 2024, and lapsed on March 13, 2024. “The strike organised on June 3, 2024, was the most effective and widely supported compared to previous strikes since 2016 even though it was not adequately mobilized. The capitalist ruling elite came under pressure as major sectors of the economy were shut down including sea, airport and electricity. Rather than build on the momentum, labour leaders have again gone to sleep. Unfortunately, this inaction gave the capitalist ruling elite more time to maneuver and recover. “The labour leaders could make the case that they were engaged in important meetings at the International Labour Organisation, in that case, they could have sent one or two people to Europe instead of a delegation of around 116 so-called ‘workers representatives’. Then the other ‘workers’ representatives’ could have travelled around Nigeria campaigning rather than sitting in Switzerland. Instead, when millions upon millions of Nigerians suffer a massive drop in living standards, the “Generals” left the battlefield for too long and did nothing serious to mobilise support for what was likely to be a major struggle. “Wage is a very crucial integral aspect of the unfair/exploitative/profiteering capitalist system, the self-serving capitalist ruling elite, government and private sector employers will continually do everything to condemn Nigerian workers to poverty wage to secure huge profit and profligate lifestyle for themselves. Weak Nigerian capitalism can only function based on low wages; hence, the government and the organised private sector resist a genuine living wage for workers. Even the N30, 000 minimum wage, which ought to have been outdated, has not been implemented by some states. For instance, Zamfara State government just announced implementation of N30,000 minimum wage structure this month (June 2024) more than five years after it had become law. In line with class struggle, the challenge for the trade union movement is to force the capitalist ruling elite to grant living wage to Nigerians workers and also resist all anti-people policies. High inflation “This is urgent. Inflation rate is 33.95 percent, the rising cost of living is notoriously high as prices change rapidly, and food generally has become unaffordable forcing many people to go hungry. A basket of tomatoes is over N60, 000, a bag of beans is over N180, 000, a big tuber of yam is over N1

BREAKING NEWS: The Strike is Over!

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have called off the nationwide strike. Mr. Festus Osifo, President of Trade Union Congress, announced this on Tuesday in Abuja following a joint extraordinary national executive council meeting of the unions. He mentioned that a communiqué would be issued shortly. Recall that both unions (TUC and NLC) on Monday commenced an indefinite nationwide strike to express their grievances over the hike in electricity tariffs and the lack of consensus on a new minimum wage. This action halted activities in critical sectors of the economy, leading to the closure of schools, businesses, hospitals, and airports. The national grid was shut down, plunging the nation into darkness.

FG Moves To Avert Planned Strike, Meets Organised Labour In Aso Rock

In an effort to avert a nationwide strike scheduled for October 3, the Federal Government has initiated discussions with organised labour at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja. This meeting, orchestrated by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has drawn the participation of several ministers. Last Tuesday, leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) jointly declared their intent to commence an indefinite strike on October 3. Following a resolution of their internal differences, which led to a two-day warning strike by the NLC without the participation of TUC, the unions also called upon their state chapters to mobilize for protests across the nation. Two days later, during a meeting of the National Executive Council chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, a plea was made to the organised labour to reconsider their planned strike action. Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, who addressed reporters at the Presidential Villa last Thursday, appealed to the leadership of organised labour to exercise patience and allow more time for dialogue. Mutfwang revealed that the welfare of Nigerian workers would be a focal point in President Bola Tinubu’s inaugural Independence Day address to the nation on Sunday. In response to the plea made by the National Executive Council, the President’s Chief of Staff convened this meeting to resolve the ongoing industrial dispute with organised labour.

Protests: FG bows to Organised Labour, withdraws contempt suit

The Federal Government says it has withdrawn the contempt of court proceedings against organised labour for embarking on a nationwide protest. This is contained in a letter addressed to the lead counsel to the NLC, Falana and Falana’s Chambers on Tuesday in Abuja. The letter dated August 7 to Falana’s Chambers was signed by the Solicitor General of the Federation, Mrs  B.E. Jeddy-Agba. The Federal Ministry of Justice had through the National Industrial Court (NICN) issued the leadership of the organised labour summons on contempt of court for embarking on the protest. The Union had responded by threatening to embark on a nationwide strike from August 14, if the Federal Government failed to withdraw its contempt of court charges. The Labour Congress and it’s affiliate the Tarde Union Congress (TUC) had embarked on a mass protest over anti-poor policies of government, especially the removal of fuel subsidy that had brought untold hardship to Nigerians. The letter reads: “Kindly recall the exchange of correspondence between the ministry and your office on the need for compliance with the extant court orders, restraining industrial action of any kind on the part of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress. “The position of the ministry was informed by the need to safeguard the integrity of the court and prevent avoidable service disruption or damage to public facilities. “In spite of these exchanges/interventions, the labour unions on August 2, proceeded with the industrial action through public pretests”. It also said the protest led to disruption of work and the eventual pulling down of the gate of the National Assembly. “The foregoing, it said, prompted the ministry to initiate contempt proceedings by tiling Form 48 on the same 2nd August 2023 in accordance with Section 72 of the Sheriffs and Civil Process Act and Order 9 Rule 13 oftlwe Judgment (Enforcement) Rules. “It is trite that issuance of Form 48 is just the starting point in contempt proceedings which will only crystalize upon the issuance of Form 49 and the consequential committal order.” It noted that upon the intervention of President Bola Tinubu and the decision of the labour unions to call-off their industrial action after meetings with the President and leadership of the National Assembly. “The ministry did not proceed further with the contempt proceedings, which would have required the issuance of Form 49 within two days of the issuance of Form 48. “It is self-evident that the none-issuance of Form 49 as at August 4, renders the contempt proceedings inchoate. “You may therefore wish to advise or guide the labour unions on the practice and procedure of contempt proceedings. “Also,  particularly to the effect that the issues or concerns raised by NLC in its communique on the proceedings, have been overtaken by events,” it said.