The Organised Labour Unions have issued a renewed threat to commence a nationwide strike by October 30, citing their dissatisfaction with the slow pace of implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) it signed with the Federal Government.
Recall that the national leadership of the NLC and TUC had on October 1 reached an agreement with the Federal Government to pay N35, 000 to all federal workers beginning from September, pending when a new national minimum wage would be signed into law.
The state chapters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) said failure to implement the agreement before the October 30 deadline might leave them with no choice but to down tools, noting that they had commenced mobilisation of their members across the country.
They maintain that the Government must expedite the execution of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) it entered into with them.
The MoU, reached on Oct. 1, mandated the federal government to pay N35, 000 to all federal workers from September, with an expectation that states would also extend this benefit to their employees. However, the labour unions are disappointed by the delay in fulfilling these agreements and have warned of the impending strike if significant progress is not made by month’s end.
NLC Head of Information and Public Affairs, Benson Upah, expressed their dissatisfaction and criticized the Minister of Labour and Employment for the lack of urgency. Similar sentiments were echoed by the Ogun State TUC Chairman, Akeem Lasisi, who indicated that another nationwide strike might be declared if the government does not meet its obligations by the October 30 deadline.
Kano State’s NLC chapter, led by Chairman Kabiru Inuwa, has also reportedly said it would wait to see the implementation of the wage award by the Federal Government before knowing the right steps to take.
The threat of a nationwide strike remains a national concern, and the labour unions have said they plan to act in accordance with any instructions provided to their State council’s leadership.
