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The President Bola Tinubu-led Administration has urged organized Labour, Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) to reconsider its decision to embark on an indefinite strike from Monday, June 3, 2024, in protest against the government’s refusal to raise the proposed minimum wage from N60,000.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reported that the organized Labor declared a nationwide strike beginning from Monday, June 3rd, 2024 over the tripartite committee’s inability to agree on a new minimum wage and hike in electricity tariff.
The President of the TUC, Festus Osifo at a joint news conference with the leadership of the NLC announced the strike on Friday.
According to the labour leaders, the decision follows the expiration of an earlier request to the Federal Government to conclude all negotiations for a new minimum wage before the end of May.
However, speaking in an interview, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Idris Mohammed said the interest of the masses should be the top priority of Organised Labour.
Mohammed, who spoke on behalf of the Federal Government, pleaded with Labour leaders to shelf its planned strike, explaining that, the need to find common ground was the reason for setting up the tripartite committee in the first place.
He added that he was optimistic an agreement could still be reached with them, as he pleads with the unions not allow their progress to be eroded.
He said, “The government is pleading with Labour to reconsider its position. The FG has already made an offer of N60,000, and whatever the government does is in the interest of Nigerians.
“We won’t like to do something that will throw the country into another problem.
“Even as we do that, we are pleading with Labour. They are partners in this project called ‘Nigeria’ and we expect them to join hands with the FG as it strives to look for solutions that will take Nigeria to the desired prosperity.
“Our message is that of an appeal and the need for Labour to see reason with the government. That was even the basis for setting up the tripartite committee that was made up of Organised Labour, the sub-nationals and the FG. This was because the government just didn’t want to make unilateral decisions. In any case, the position on the wage regime is not a one-sided thing.
“We expect that they will see reason with the government. That is why we are calling on them to show understanding by not embarking on the strike because we don’t want that at this point. A strike is not the solution to our problem. We are continuing our negotiation with them. The minister and other stakeholders are still talking to them and we believe that we will find a common ground.”