Nationwide Strike: FG Invites Organised Labour To An Emergency Meeting
Concerned over the compliance level of the nationwide strike called by the Organised Labour which has paralysed and grounded most institutions and organisations, the Federal Government on Monday, June 3, 2024, called for a meeting with the National leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) to enable the Tripartite Committee through the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), meet on Tuesday, with a view to arriving at an amicable resolution.
The Organised Labour led by the NLC and TUC indefinite nationwide strike over the failure of the Federal Government to agree on a new minimum wage and the reversal of the geometric increase in electricity tariff that has further shrink the production capacity of Industries and purchasing power of workers nationwide thereby diminished the living standard of Nigerians.
While the Organised Labour are demanding N494,000 as minimum wage which they described as living wage, the Federal Government team, proposed N60,000 from the initial N48,000 and later N54, 000 which forced Labour leaders to walk out of the meeting with the representatives of the government on May 31, 2024 and declared a nationwide strike.
To drive home their demand, the Labour work force, on Monday shutdown most operations that included, electricity supply, aviation, railway, government offices, hospitals and schools among others in compliance with the NLC and TUC directives.
Some of the affiliate union bodies that joined the strike included, ASUU, Nurses Union, Parliamentary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUAC, Aviation workers, Teachers, Electricity workers among others.
In Abuja, the nation’s capital, members of the Organised Labour successfully shutdown the gates of the National Assembly complex and that of the FCTA, just as the Federal Secretariat was deserted as the Union leaders ensured strict compliance by its members.
Already, the impact of the total blackout as a result of the disconnection of electricity and water supply in Abuja is being seriously felt by residents.
