The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has advised workers and the members of the public to prepare for a prolonged nationwide strike as its ultimatum to the Federal Government to implement the N30,000 new minimum wage has expired.
The NLC’s warning came even as the Lagos State Labour leader said workers in the state would not accept anything less than N50, 000 as minimum wage.
The Labour leaders spoke on Monday at a rally organised in celebration of this year’s World Decent Work Day in Lagos.
Addressing workers at the rally, NLC President Ayuba Wabba, noted that if by October 31 the government failed to pay the new minimum wage labour would take action.
Recall that negotiations between organised labour and the federal government has been stalled over consequential adjustment of the salary for workers from grade level 7 and above.
Represented by the NLC’s Deputy General Secretary, Ismail Bello, Wabba therefore called on the government to agree to consequential adjustment of the salary and begin payment immediately.
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Bello said: “We would use this opportunity to appeal to the government to do the needful by urgently commencing the implementation of what we agreed on. We also would like to use this same opportunity to urge workers to fully
mobilise for a prolonged national strike and enforce their right.
“This strike action becomes the inevitable last option for us and we crave the understanding and support of all Nigerians and businesses.
“We would want to assure workers that their labour, patience and diligence will not be in vain and that this leadership remains committed to giving all that it takes to ensure that they get just and fair wages due to them in a decent work environment appropriate to their well-being.”
In her own remarks, the Lagos State NLC Chairperson, Agnes Funmi Sessi, said that if other states pay N30,000 minimum wage, Lagos workers would not take less than N50,000.
According to her, this is because Lagos workers faced a lot of hazard every day, while the state was also special.
Her words: “We, workers in Lagos State, will not take anything less than N50,000 as minimum wage. This is because workers face lots of hazards. There should be allowance for transportation, rail and many other things. The roads are bad. There is no electricity. The living condition is bad.”
Workers had on Monday gathered at Ikeja bus stop, “Under Bridge” as early as 7 a.m, from where they marched to the House of Assembly.
