By Sodiq Adelakun
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has directed Nigerian workers to remain at home as the nationwide strike commences today, June 3, 2024.
This announcement was made via a post on the NLC’s official X handle this morning.
The decision to proceed with the nationwide strike follows a deadlock in negotiations with the Federal Government and National Assembly leaders concerning a new national minimum wage and the reversal of the recent hike in electricity tariffs.
Labour unions have expressed that the current minimum wage of ₦30,000 is insufficient for the average Nigerian worker’s wellbeing.
They also lamented that many governors have not been paying the current wage, which expired in April 2024, five years after the Minimum Wage Act of 2019 was signed by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Act mandates a review every five years to align with contemporary economic demands.
The labour unions had issued a May 31 deadline to the Federal Government for a new minimum wage.
When the deadline passed without agreement, the unions declared a nationwide strike starting today June 3, 2024.
This action comes after the Labour union rejected three offers from the government, the latest being ₦60,000. The Trade Union Congress (TUC) and NLC are demanding ₦497,000 as the new minimum wage and have pulled out of negotiations, standing firm on their demands.
