NLC, TUC reaffirm ultimatum to FG over minimum wage, power tariff

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have reiterated their ultimatum to the federal government to meet all of their demands, including the adoption of a new national minimum wage and the reversal of the power tariff increase.

The ultimatum was issued following an emergency meeting of the National Executive Councils (NEC) of the NLC and TUC to address serious national issues impacting Nigerian workers.

The labour unions also warned their members in Anambra State to prepare for industrial action if the state government did not meet workers’ requests by May 23, 2024.

The NLC and TUC voiced alarm about some state governments’ continued noncompliance with the 2019 National Minimum Wage Act and urged state councils to deliver a joint two-week ultimatum to the responsible state governments to avoid industrial action.

The NEC-in-session reaffirmed the NLC and TUC joint ultimatum previously issued to the Anambra state government by its Anambra state councils and directed all affiliates and workers in the state council to mobilize their members to ensure a successful action if the state government fails to meet worker demands by May 23, 2024.

The labour unions stormed out of minimum wage negotiations with the government last week in response to the Federal Government’s N48,000 proposal, which they deemed ludicrous.

The NLC President, Joe Ajaero, stated that the government was not serious about talking with labour on the new minimum wage, while the TUC President, Festus Osifo, stated that the N48,000 plan is absurd.

The Organised Labour had previously proposed N615,000 as the new minimum wage for workers to deal with Nigeria’s numerous economic realities and high cost of living.

The labour unions claimed that the present minimum salary of N30,000 is insufficient to meet the needs of the average Nigerian worker, and that not all governors are paying the current wage award, which expires in April 2024.

The National Labour Council and the Trade Union Congress have urged President Bola Tinubu’s administration to expedite the upward review of salary awards.

In January, the Federal Government established a 37-man Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage, tasked with recommending a new national minimum wage for the country.