New Minimum Wage: Tinubu Takes Decision As NLC, TUC Declares Nationwide Strike

• President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's led federal government has made a strong appeal to the leadership of the NLC and the TUC
• The minister of information and national orientation, Idris Mohammed, appealed to organised labour to give the president more time
• Mohammed made this appeal after Joe Ajero's led NLC declared an indefinite strike and rejected the federal government's N60,000 minimum wage offer

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

The federal government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has pleaded with organised labour to reconsider its decision to embark on an indefinite strike from Monday, June 3, 2024.

Recall that the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) declared an indefinite nationwide strike on Friday, May 31.

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The NLC president, Comrade Joe Ajaero, said the decision to embark on an indefinite strike was due to the federal government's failure to increase the minimum wage from N60,000 and reverse the electricity tariff hike.

While labour is demanding N494,000 as the new minimum wage, the tripartite committee on a new national minimum wage proposed N60,000, noting labour is unrealistic and Tinubu is running a bloated civil service.

Tinubu's government insists strike not the solution

In a swift reaction, the federal government stressed that the interest of the masses should be the top priority of organised labour.

The minister of information and national orientation, Idris Mohammed, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with The Punch on Saturday, June 1.

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“This reality must be factored into the negotiations”: Tinubu’s govt appeals to organised labour

While describing the NLC and the TUC as partners in Project Nigeria, Mohammed noted that industrial action was not the solution to the ongoing negotiation for a new minimum wage for workers.

Tinubu's FG begs NLC to call off strike

Speaking further, the information minister, on behalf of the federal government, pleaded with organised labour to shelve its planned strike.

Speaking with Saturday Punch, 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.”

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BREAKING: Tinubu’s reps to meet NLC/TUC leaders amid labour's nationwide strike, details emerge

Minimum wage negotiations deadlocked again

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the organised labour walked out of the government team at the Tripartite Committee meeting on the new national minimum wage over the inability of the government to make a new offer beyond N60,000.

A source at the meeting told the press that negotiations hit the brick wall when the government and the organised private sector remained adamant on the N60,000 offer they made on Tuesday.

Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng