- Stay at home till further notice, organise Labour tell workers
The organised Labour in Nigeria has directed workers in public and private sector to remain at home as from midnight today, till further notice.
Speaking during a joint press conference by the Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the United Labour Congress (ULC), President of NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba said this is due to the refusal of Federal government to reconvene the meeting of the Tripartite National Minimum Wage Committee to enable it conclude its work.
According to Wabba, the action is in compliance with the decision of the various organs of the organized labour which endorsed the 14-day ultimatum served on the federal government by members of the Organised Labour who are members of the Tripartite Committee on the new National Minimum Wage.
“The Labour organs further mandated the leadership to take all necessary steps including a warning strike in the first instance to compel the government to reconvene the meeting of the Committee in order to bring it to a logical conclusion.
“in compliance with this mandate, all workers in the public and private sectors at all levels across the country have been directed to comply. Industrial unions, state councils, all worker organistions and our civil society allies have been directed to step up mobilization of their members. All public and private institutions, offices, banks, schools, public and private business premises including filling stations are to remain shut till further notice.
“All those who mean well for this country are to see to the success of this action. Further more, this action is to remain in force until further directives are given”.
Explaining more on the development, Comrade Ayuba Wabba said ‘the national Minimum Wage Committee was inaugurated in November 2017 but commenced work in March 2018 with timelines to deliver on its mandate of arriving at a new national minimum wage in August/ September 2018.
“The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige in February this year during the 40th anniversary celebration of the Nigeria Labour Congress, assured workers that they would have a new minimum
“In order to meet this deadline, the Committee, in spite of challenges, worked assiduously and meticulously. In the course of the work of the Committee, members had ample time to consult and to take memoranda from across the country and across the sectors.
“The Committee was satisfied that it received memoranda and inputs from 21 state governments, specialised agencies of the federal government, the Organised Private Sector, Organised Labour and the general public.
“This was reason why the Organised Labour was outraged and shell-shocked by the decision of Government to adjourn the meeting of the Committee indefinitely to enable consultations by the Federal Government team”.
Wabba further said Federal Government decision was against the principle of collective bargaining, stressing that “Organized Labour considered the conduct of the Government as an act of bad faith and an insult to its members, who out of uncommon sacrifice and patriotism had hearkened to government’s appeal to delay negotiation for a new national minimum wage by two years”.
