Leaders of Organised Labour, workers and their civil society allies, Tuesday trooped into the major streets across the country as part of the sensitisation of workers and Nigerians for November 6, 2018 commencement date of a nationwide indefinite strike to compel government to peg a new minimum wage at N30,000, threatening “no N30,000 new minimum wage, no votes” in 2019 general elections.
Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, and United Labour Congress of Nigeria, ULC, had also declared yesterday, a day of national mourning and sensitisation of workers and Nigerians ahead of the November 6, start date of a nationwide strike.
The federal and state governments have since declined any N30,000 minimum wage agreement.
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) on Tuesday agreed to pay a national minimum wage of N22,500 as against the N30,000 labour is adamantly proposing.
Addressing the protesters at the Maryland roundabout and at Ojota freedom park, leaders of the protesters and President of ULC, Joe Ajaero, declared that from November 6, it would to total war with government until the N30,000 new minimum wage was achieved.
According to him, whatever the governors meeting yesterday came out with would be of no effect unless they agreed to implement the N30,000 minimum wage, insisting that there would be no more negotiation because the Tripartite committee appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari, had finished its assignment and submitted its report to the President.
In Awka, Anambra State, labour leaders also resolved to down tools on November 6, unless the demand for a Minimum Wage of N30,000 was implemented, saying “no pay, no work no vote.”
President of Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Associations, NASU, Chris Ani, who led the protest, spoke at New Freedom Square, Awka.
He lamented that “the N30,000 equals N1000 per day for a worker and is equivalent to N50 per day for a family of six that contends with rent, school fees electricity bill, transportation and tax.”
