Labour insists on N30,000 minimum wage, strike if...

Organised labour leaders yesterday reiterated their commitment to shut down the nation’s economy on November 6, 2018 if the federal government refuses to accede to N30,000 minimum wage as recommended by the tripartite negotiating committee.

The labour leaders who converged in Lagos to appraise recent developments urged Nigerians to stockpile food and other essential needs to avoid starving as the strike lasts.

The meeting which was attended by the leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), United Labour Congress (UTC) and their affiliates, said the N30,000 new national minimum was the outcome of many days negotiations by the tripartite committee set up by the federal government and the acceptance of the new wage by them was borne out of a sense of patriotism and attitude of “give and take”.

In a communiqué read by the national president of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba, labour said: “The Central Working Committee in session considers the report that was presented by the joint leadership of organized labour, particularly all members of the tripartite negotiating committee and we considered the recent mischief of government in an attempt to impede the outcome of the concluded new national minimum wage negotiation. The organized labour leaders expressed their unwavering stand on the report and that since the negotiating team of new minimum wage had concluded its assignment, precisely on the November 5, 2018 and agreed on a minimum wage of N30,000, government should accept the report.”

He said the labour condemned the recent attempt by the federal government to embark on armtwisting tactic to cow workers into submission with the introduction of no work no pay rule.