Minimum Wage: Organised Labour confirms suspension of strike for one week

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have suspended their two-day industrial action.

Mr Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja.

Onanuga said that the two unions suspended the strike for one week.

He said that this was in consonance with the agreement reached with the Federal Government and the Tripartite Committee on Monday.

Also confirming the development, NLC on its official X account tweeted; “Strike Action relaxed for one week to allow the conclusion of Negotiation”.

The NLC and TUC are on strike over the National Minimum Wage, Electricity rate increase and band categories among others.

The Federal Government says, in the national interest,  it is ready to offer higher than N60,000 national minimum wage it earlier proposed to the tripartite committee deliberating on the issue.

The government decision was disclosed at a meeting of the committee convened Monday night by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, after the organised labour embarked on indefinite strike to press its demand on the national minimum wage.

In a circular jointly issued by the committee members at the end of the meeting, and made available to newsmen, it was disclosed that President Bola Tinubu expressed his commitment to a national minimum wage that is higher than N60,000.

“Arising from the above, the Tripartite Committee is to meet every day for the next one week with a view to arriving at an agreeable national minimum wage”

“Labour in deference to the high esteem of the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria’s commitment in above undertakes to convene a meeting of its organs immediately to consider this commitment.

“The committee also resolved that no worker will be victimised as a result of the industrial action,” the circular read in part

In attendance at the meeting  were: Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of State for Labour and Employment.

For the Organised Labour: Joe Ajaero, President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Festus Osifo, President, Trade Union Congress (TUC).

It will be recalled that following the negotiation by the tripartite committee on national minimum wage and subsequent withdrawal of Labour from negotiation and its indefinite strike, the government had convened the meeting with labour.