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Tag: Strike

  • BREAKING! Organised labour to go ahead with strike despite meeting with NASS leadership

    BREAKING! Organised labour to go ahead with strike despite meeting with NASS leadership

    Organised labour in Nigeria said on Sunday, they will push ahead with a planned indefinite strike over the new minimum wage, despite last-ditch efforts by the National Assembly leadership to avert the action.

    But the labour unions said they would meet to discuss the National Assembly leadership’s appeal to suspend the strike and allow for further dialogue.

    The strike is aimed at pressuring the government to implement a new minimum wage, which the unions say is long overdue. The labour unions and the government have been at loggerheads over the issue, with the unions accusing the government of foot-dragging on the matter.

    Details shortly…

  • LOOMING STRIKE: Unions give clear directives to workers to shut down Nigeria tomorrow (SEE letters)

    LOOMING STRIKE: Unions give clear directives to workers to shut down Nigeria tomorrow (SEE letters)

    …NUPENG, SSANU, Electricity workers, others indicate interest

    …send letters to all branches nationwide to ensure full compliance

    It’s crystal clear that organized labour in Nigeria must embark on a nationwide strike tomorrow (Monday) to force Federal Government to pay a living wage and dump electricity hike.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that various meetings carried out by the tripartite committee ended in a fiasco as the Federal Government refused to accept the proposed N419,000.00 minimum wage proposal by organised labour.

    To this end, electricity, oil and gas, maritime and all affiliates of labour umbrella bodies in Nigeria at the weekend issued directives to their workers to ensure compliance.

    MAN accepts N60,000.00 minimum wage:

    The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria at the weekend has accepted the Federal Government proposed N60,000.00 minimum wage which labour has outrightly rejected for obvious reasons as inflation is already making Nigerians to feed from the dustbin.

    Hear MAN’s DG:
    The Director-General of the Manufacturing Association of Nigeria, Ajayi Kadri, confirmed that the organised private sector accepted the Federal Government’s proposal for a new minimum wage of N60,000.

    “To start with, this is a very difficult time for anyone to negotiate minimum wage. From the perspective of government, labour and organized private sector, we operate in an environment where there is general acceptance of the fact that the macroeconomics are not right, even the global economy is experiencing a lot of shakeups and the aftermath of government necessary reforms.

    “From the beginning of the negotiations of the minimum wage, it’s evident to the tripartite— that is the government, labour, and organized private sector— that we are going to operate in a difficult terrain.

    “Incidentally, the organized private sector and government have offered N60,000 as the minimum wage and I think it is very important for us to understand that what we are talking about is the minimum wage. That is what some people have called the walk-in wage. That is the amount we will pay the least workers in the country. It is the minimum wage we are negotiating, not a living wage,” Ajayi said.

    Ajayi disclosed further that both the government and the private sector face significant constraints in fulfilling the proposed N419,000 living wage request.

    He mentioned that the private sector, for example, is dealing with economic challenges and inflation, making it impossible to pay such an amount.

    He also explained that this is not the most appropriate time for organized labor to negotiate a new minimum wage. Instead, they should collaborate with other stakeholders to strengthen the economy.

    “All of us in the tripartite— the government, the labour, and the private sector — we all knew that we were operating in a very difficult environment. The government itself realized that it had limited capacity to pay. The private sector is constrained by microeconomic, infrastructure and security challenges. So, we are also constrained to pay.

    “Labour on its part, is under intense pressure from its constituencies to ask for a higher wage because inflation has hit the roof and the operating environment is tough.

    “Throughout the negotiation process, we made it known that this is not the best time to negotiate minimum wage. This is the time for us to agree, the crew behind the government, and grow the economy in such that we will bake a bigger cake and then we’ll be able to share,” the director general added.

    He, however, appealed to the organised labour to reconsider its decision to embark on a nationwide strike.

    He noted that the labour walking out of discussions and declaring strike would not help matters.

    He added that it is unfortunate that labour rejected the N60,000 offer from the government and the organised private sector, choosing to declare a nationwide strike.

    “We cannot afford to cripple the economy when all we needed to do was continue to build it. I think President Tinubu was very clear when he emerged as president that these are not going to be easy times and I think we needed to tighten our belts to deliver on economy that we know has been seriously battered,” Ajayi-Kadir said on Channels Television’s Sunrise programme on Saturday.

    “Of course, the government on its own side has to demonstrate leadership, sensitivity and sense and sense of mind as well as the sense of occasion of the period that we are in. So, government expenditure, government choices of what needs to be done, how much to be spent, the cost of governance itself, all of it has to come to the table.

    “I think what labour is actually worried about is that they appear to be the ones on the brunt of it but we needed to be able to engage, walking out on the process and declaring strike, I do not think that that is what is going to solve this issue,” he added.

    On Friday, organised labour declared a nationwide indefinite strike over the Federal Government’s refusal to raise the proposed minimum wage from N60,000.

    They claimed that the strike followed the expiration of an earlier request to the Federal Government to conclude all negotiations for a new minimum wage before the end of May.

    SEE LETTERS BELOW:

  • NLC strike: Real reason FG can’t pay N494,000 minimum wage – Minister

    NLC strike: Real reason FG can’t pay N494,000 minimum wage – Minister

    …don’t go on strike, return to negotiation table – FG tells Labour

    Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said the federal government cannot pay N494,000 as minimum wage demanded by organised labour for workers in the country.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Idris to have said the N494,000 minimum wage demand by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) will amount to N9.5 trillion annually.

    This is contained in a statement released on Saturday by the Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of Information and National Orientation.

    The Minister stressed that the sum of N494,000 national minimum wage being demanded by organised labour, which cumulatively amounts to the sum of N9.5 trillion bill, is capable of destabilising the economy and jeopardising the welfare of over 200 million Nigerians.

    According to the statement, Idris stated this at a news conference in Abuja in response to the threat by the organised labour to embark on strike if their demands were not met.

    He said the offer of N60,000 minimum wage by the Federal Government, which translates to a 100% increase on the existing minimum wage of 2019, has been accepted by the organized private sector, which is a member of the tripartite committee of the negotiations team.

    “The Federal Government’s New Minimum Wage proposal amounts to a 100% increase on the existing minimum wage 2019. Labour, however, wanted N494,000, which would increase by 1,547% on the existing wage.

    “The sum of N494,000 national minimum wage which Labour is seeking would cumulatively amount to the sum N9.5 trillion bill to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

    “Nigerians need to understand that whereas the FG is desirous of ample remuneration for Nigerian workers, what is most critical is that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will not encourage any action that could lead to massive job loss, especially in the private sector, who may not be able to pay the wage demanded by the Organised Labour,” he said.

    The Minister said even though Labour is keen on the take-home pay of about 1.2 million workers, the Federal Government is concerned with the welfare of over 200 million Nigerians based on its Guiding Principle of Affordability, Sustainability, and the overall health of the nation’s economy.

    Idris appealed to the Organised Labour to return to the negotiating table and embrace reasonable and realistic wages for their members.

    He said because of the commitment of the Tinubu administration to the welfare of workers, the wage award of 35,000 for Federal workers would continue until a new national minimum wage is introduced.
    Rabiu Ibrahim.

  • NECA flays planned indefinite strike by Labour

    NECA flays planned indefinite strike by Labour

    The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), has urged organised labour to shelve its planned indefinite strike as it could reverse the recent marginal gains on the economy.

    NECA’s Director-General, Mr Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, who made the call in a statement on Saturday, said the strike could incapacitate the private sector.

    Oyerinde said that the call for strike was ill-timed and ill-advised, and would not only impoverish Nigerians, “but also escalate the already worrisome unemployment situation”.

    “The call for an indefinite strike even when the Tripartite Committee has not completed its proceedings, is ill-advised.

    “The committee, being a tripartite committee, with equal right and privileges, was to consult extensively and make recommendations to the President and Commander-in-Chief.

    “The president’s final approval will, thereafter, be passed to the National Assembly for legislative action before the president will give assent.

    “Aggrieved parties are at liberty to make representations and freely express their views at the National Assembly before a new National Minimum Wage Bill will be passed into law.

    “While it is normal for parties to have divergent opinion, the President and Commander-in-Chief has the final authority.

    “It is, therefore, worrisome that Organised Labour would call for an indefinite strike when these processes are yet to be concluded,“ he said.

    The director-general, however, said that the Organised Private Sector of Nigeria(OPSN), would do all that was necessary, within extant legislation, to protect its interest and survival, should the strike commence.

    He said that OPSN remains committed to a new national minimum wage.

    He observed, however, that in the current macro-economic circumstances, the odds were greatly stacked against organised businesses with consequential effects on job security.

    “It is our strong view that any amount beyond what the OPSN offered, could further escalate the already worsened health of many businesses, especially the Small and Medium Enterprises, and drive others to the precipice.

    “That situation could potentially compound the bad unemployment rate and worsen the insecurity situation in the country,” he said.

    Oyerinde also called on the Federal Government to fast-track the implementation of reliefs for Nigerians, while reversing, without delay, the recent hike in electricity tariff.

  • Fuel scarcity, electricity blackout loom as NLC strike gathers steam

    Fuel scarcity, electricity blackout loom as NLC strike gathers steam

    The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has directed its members to comply with the directive of the two labour centres to begin an indefinite nationwide strike on Monday.

    Its General Secretary, Mr Afolabi Olawale, in a statement on Saturday, said the union was committed to ensuring total compliance with the directive.

    Recall that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) declared an indefinite nationwide strike to begin on Monday, to express their grievances over the proposed new minimum wage..

    In a joint statement signed by NLC President, Mr Joe Ajaero and TUC President, Mr Festus Osifo, the centres declared the strike over the tripartite committee’s inability to agree on a new minimum wage and the hike in electricity tariff.

    Afolabi said the union was concerned and disturbed with the insensitive attitude of the federal government “to the very critical issue of negotiating a new minimum wage for Nigerian workers”.

    “This is in view of the various socio- economic policies of this administration that have impoverished the working people of this country.

    “Leaders of our great union at all levels, from the units, zones and branches, should immediately put all processes in place to ensure total compliance with this directive.”

    Also, the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) said it was mobilising its members to embark on the strike following the directive of NLC and TUC.

    The Acting. General Secretary, Mr Dominic Igwebike, gave the directive to the members in a statement.

    Igwebike said that along with the reasons of inconclusive negotiations on the minimum wage and electricity tariff hike, apartheid categorisation of Nigeria electricity consumers into bands was another, to embark on the strike.

    “Given the above, all national, state, and chapter executives are requested to start the mobilisation of our members in total compliance with this directive to ensure the government does the right thing as stated above.

    “The withdrawal of services becomes effective on Sunday 2nd June by 12.00 midnight, “ the union leader said.

  • Construction workers threaten strike over sack of 30,000 workers

    Construction workers threaten strike over sack of 30,000 workers

    Construction and Civil Engineering Senior Staff Association (CCESSA) and National Union of Civil Engineering Construction Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW), have threatened to stop work on major roads due to some crises.

    The unions affiliated to the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), represent the senior and junior staff in the construction industry.

    The National President of CCESSA, Ayodeji Adeyemo, and the NUCECFWW President Stephen Okoro, at a news conference on the state of the construction industry on Friday in Abuja, raised alarm over the plight of construction workers.

    According to Adeyemo, the construction industry is the second largest employer of labour in Nigeria after the Government.

    He, however, expressed concern that a lot of workers were being laid off by construction companies and the trend was creating a crisis in the sector.

    “Over 30,000 workers have lost their jobs and about 52,000 workers may lose their jobs if care is not taken.

    “Over 20,000 have already lost their jobs in the last three months and 32,000 will also lose their jobs if the conflicts are not resolved.

    “We may have no choice but to stop work on major roads if the trend continues.

    “Some of the roads that are affected by the conflicts are roads being handled by major construction companies like RCC, Setraco, Julius Berger, Dantata and Sawoe, among others.

    “They are: Obajana road, Abuja -Kano Road, Bodo-Bonny road, East-West road, Lagos-Ibadan express way, Zaria -Sokoto road and Edo-Auchi road.

    “When you sack people with family and other dependents, you are only calling for more insecurity in the country. Nigeria is currently grappling with insecurity and you can imagine when 52,000 workers are laid off,” he fumed.

    Adeyemo said that the unions were also concerned with the disagreement between the Federation of Construction Industry (FOCI) and the Minister of Works.

    According to him, there is a total slowdown in the industry due to disagreement between the contractors handling various civil construction projects for the Federal Government and the ministry of Works.

    He said this was as a result of unilateral imposition of new standard conditions of contracts by the Minister, contrary to the existing conditions as approved by the Bureau of public procurement (BPP).

    According to him, this has affected employment in the industry, leading to mass sack of Nigerian workers who are members of our unions.

    Adeyemo said the unions have appealed to the Minister of Works, David Umahi, for a form of bail out to the distressed construction sector rather than any form of conflict.

    “We call on the federal government to resolve the conflict in the industry by involving all stakeholders in contract awards.

    “These are the Bureau of Public procurement (BPP), Ministry of Justice, Ministry of works, Council for Regulation of Engineers in Nigeria (COREN), Federation of Construction Industry (FOCI), among others.

    “We urge the Minister of Works, FOCI and all concerned to amicably resolve the current conflict within 21 days otherwise, the two Unions will be compelled to declare industrial actions in the construction industry.”

    The two unions called for an end to banditry, kidnappings and killings that had become so common in the country, urging security agencies to ensure the safety of the members and all Nigerians.

  • Real reason Labour declared indefinite strike

    Real reason Labour declared indefinite strike

    Leadership of organised labour has declared an indefinite nationwide strike, starting from Monday.

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) declared the strike at the end of a joint emergency meeting on Friday in Abuja.

    NLC and TUC had during the May Day celebration issued the Federal Government an ultimatum to ensure that negotiation on new national minimum wage was concluded by May 31.

    The President of TUC, Festus Osifo, told newsmen that the strike had become necessary as the government declined to increase the N60,000 wage it offered on Friday during the meeting of the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage.

    Osifo also said that the strike was imperative due to the refusal of government to reverse the hike in electricity tariff.

    “We are hereby declaring the commencement of a nationwide industrial action, effective from Sunday midnight June 2 , 2024,and this strike shall be indefinite.

    “We are united on this and we believe that this is the way forward,” he said.

  • BREAKING: ASUU vows to embark on another nationwide strike if…

    BREAKING: ASUU vows to embark on another nationwide strike if…

    *Governing councils are not constituted

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has threatened to embark on another nationwide strike to protest absence of governing councils in all federal universities across the country among other issues the government is yet to address.

    The body which recalled that the federal government dissolved governing councils of the universities in May, last year, has asked Nigerians to hold the government responsible for any decision it takes to protest the action of government.

    President of ASUU,Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke,spoke at a press conference which is ongoing at ASUU national secretariat,Abuja.

  • UniAbuja: ASUU says strike continues

    UniAbuja: ASUU says strike continues

    The Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU), University of Abuja (UniAbuja), says the union will not call off the strike until all issues are addressed.

    The branch Chairman, Dr Sylvanus Ugoh, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja that the members were not working.

    “Those against the strike may possibly be beneficiaries of what the union is fighting against. Any member found breaking the strike will be subjected to disciplinary procedure.”

    According to him, 90 to 95 per cent of lecturers are on strike.

    UniAbuja, ASUU branch had on May 2 declared an indefinite strike to draw attention of the school management to issues bordering the union.

    One of the issues listed by the union was the University’s refusal to conduct elections for the office of the Deans of Faculties and Provost, College of Health Sciences.

    The Union also accused the University of carrying out promotion of some members of staff without following due process.

    Other reasons for the strike, according to the union, include: “Advertorial for the vacancy of the post of Vice Chancellor without following due process, among others.’’

    The chairman said that ASUU as a body in the university had withdrew the services of their members in the university.

    “ASUU do not lock university, what ASUU did was to withdraw the services our members render to the university.

    ”What we are saying is that our members are not working,” he said.

    On the issue of some lecturers indicating interest to lecture, he said that even in a national strike some would still want to go against the action.

    However, Dr Habib Yakoob, the Acting Director, Information and University Relations, said the management was not aware of any strike.

    Yakoob said that many lecturers have indicated interest to lecture, adding that students were also prepared to receive lectures.

    A correspondent, who was at the university’s permanent site reports that students were seen on campus to officially resume for their second semester academic activities.

    At the time of the visit, no academic activities was seen going on in the lecture halls.

    A Student, Adenike Owolabi, said students were just resuming for their second semester and hopefully lectures would commence soon.

    Owolabi, who said the students were not ready for any strike, added that they have wasted so much time as a result of incessant strike.

    She, therefore, called on the school management to resolve whatever the problem was to avoid the school being shut down.

  • Anambra parliamentary workers suspend indefinite strike

    Anambra parliamentary workers suspend indefinite strike

    The Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), Anambra chapter, says it has suspended the indefinite strike it embarked upon on March 28.

    The Chairman of the association, Mr Abraham Okoye disclosed this on Tuesday in Awka, stressing that the decision was reached after the government had set in measures to address their demands.

    Okoye said that part of the measures was to address issues of unpaid peculiar allowances of staff of the state House Assembly.

    “The executive of Anambra PASAN and south east zonal leadership of PASAN met with the leadership of the state Assembly, Chief of Staff to the Governor, Head of Service, and a team of permanent secretaries.

    “The meetings resolved that the leadership of the Assembly commits to the payment of Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure (CONLESS) to the staff.

    “A joint committee of the Executive and the Assembly was set to look into and advise the governor on the modalities for financial autonomy of Anambra state House of Assembly.

    “Therefore, with the above developments, Anambra state PASAN is directed by its national body to suspended the indefinite strike for two months,” Okoye said.

    According to Okoye, if nothing is done by the end of the two months timeline, PASAN will recommence the strike.

    The indefinite strike was due to non implementation of full legislative financial autonomy and non payment of the allowances that had been recurring in the state’s budget since 2019.

    The association was also protesting non-constitution of the state Legislative Service Commission as provided by Anambra Legislative Service Commission Law, 2022.