Minimum wage: Labour calls off planned nationwide strike

After about eight hours of intense negotiation, the Orgainsed Labour, yesterday backed down on its planned nationwide strike over the new national minimum wage.

Briefing journalists after the meeting at about 11.15pm, President, Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said the planned strike action has been suspended, while the report will be forwarded to President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly today for possible action.

Asked what the details of the report were, the NLC boss said that would be made known to the public in due course.

 While the workers are insisting on N30, 000 minimum wage, the federal government is pushing for N24, 000, with the state government announcing N22, 500.

However, at the resumed tripartite meeting comprising the federal government, organised labour and the private sector yesterday, the parties could not initially agree on what the new national minimum wage should be.

At the meeting, it was gathered that the  workers’ representatives were still insisting on N30, 000, a position they had earlier held on to.

Speaking to reporters shortly after the meeting dispersed to reconvene at 10.00pm, Chairman of the committee and former Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Ms Ama Pepple, said her committee would present two figures to President Muhammadu Buhari and members of the National Assembly.
Making the disclosure after over seven-hour meeting in Abuja, she said the committee would submit N24, 000 proposed by the 36 states of the federation, the federal government and Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA), and the N30, 000 demanded by the organised labour.

The  committee chair said, while waiting for government’s decision on the report, the labour unions should endeavour to shelve the strike action, assuring that they (labour leaders) have agreed to consult their members.
Also speaking, Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, said the consensus is for the committee to present the two figures to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Asked what becomes of the Nigeria Governors Forum’s proposed N22, 500, the minister said the governors would go with the federal government’s figure of N24, 000.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha, was the first to leave the venue of the meeting at about 7:00pm. He declined to talk to journalists, but promised to come back.
The SGF was followed by Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi state, who also declined to speak on what transpired at the meeting.
Leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) also refused to comment, saying they would reconvene for another meeting at 10:00pm.

Court dismisses fresh suit

Meanwhile, the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, yesterday in Abuja, dismissed a prayer for a fresh order barring organised labour from proceeding on its planned nationwide strike slated for November today.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the court had on November 2 restrained the organised labour from proceeding on the nationwide strike over new national minimum wage.

Justice  Kado Sanusi restrained the NLC and the TUC from embarking on the industrial action pending the determination of the substantive suit filed by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN.

Sanusi also restrained the NLC, TUC and the Incorporated Trustees of the Nigerian Governors Forum, respondents in the suit from taking steps capable of destroying the subject matter of the suit.

The judge had adjourned hearing on the substantive suit until November 8.

Kado also refused to grant a prayer for an order to compel the government to immediately commence the process of adopting N30, 000 as the new national minimum wage.

Okere Nnamdi, Counsel to the Kingdom Human Rights Foundation International, an NGO, approached the court on behalf of the group with the fresh exparte motion.

Nnamdi had prayed the court to stop the Organised Labour from embarking on the strike and to order the federal government to immediately commence the process of paying the N30, 000 minimum wage.

The counsel had told the court that he filed the processes on November 1.

Nnamdi therefore prayed the court to grant his prayers which included; seeking for an order of substituted service on the 36 governors.

The judge however held that it would be against the practice direction of the court to make an order barring labour from going on the planned strike having earlier made a similar order.

In the circumstance, the court compelled the plaintiff to withdraw the application as it became an academic exercise. (NAN)

Atiku urges restraint

 And in a related development, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has restated his position in support of labour in its struggle for a living wage.

 The former vice president, however, urged both the Organised Labour and federal government to exercise restraint and avoid creating situations that will plunge the nation into deeper crises.

 Abubakar, in a statement by his media office in Abuja, implored labour to reconsider its stance on an industrial strike action, and encouraged both sides to go back to the negotiating table and reach an agreement.

“Our economy is already on its knees and escalation of this crisis into full blown industrial strike action may have dire consequences for our nation,” the statement added.

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