The nationwide strike that was relaxed by organized labor to allow for negotiations on the new minimum wage is set to resume following the failure of the government and labor to reach a compromise. The Tripartite Committee recommended a monthly minimum wage of N62,000 for civil servants, but this offer was rejected by Organized Labour, which is insisting on a figure of N250,000. This disagreement is likely to lead to the reactivation of the indefinite strike action by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).
After a marathon meeting in Abuja, the Federal Government and the Organized Private Sector agreed on the N62,000 offer as the new National Minimum Wage. However, Organized Labour’s rejection of this offer may result in a resumption of strike action. The initial offer was N60,000, which led to labor withdrawing from negotiations and declaring an indefinite strike.
Following discussions and commitments made during meetings with government officials, including President Bola Tinubu’s pledge to pay a minimum wage higher than N60,000, there were expectations for a resolution. However, with Labor pushing for N250,000 and rejecting the N62,000 offer, tensions have escalated.
The parties involved are expected to continue discussions on the new minimum wage and other related issues. The timeline for negotiations has been shortened from two months proposed by the government to one week. Failure to reach an agreement within this timeframe could lead Labor to resume the strike without further notice.
In summary, despite efforts to negotiate a new minimum wage, the disagreement between labor unions and the government regarding the proposed amount has heightened tensions and may lead to a resumption of nationwide strikes next week.
