Federal Gov’t Warns NLC, TUC Against Planned Indefinite Strike

The federal government has warned the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), not to discontinue the ongoing negotiations over the new minimum wage.

The Federal Government also asked the Organised Labour to shelve its plan to embark on a nationwide indefinite strike action beginning from Monday, June 3.

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, in a statement on Sunday, described the proposed industrial action as “premature, ineffectual and illegal.”

According to him, the agitation for the increase of the minimum wage of workers in the country is currently being addressed, adding that the labour unions failed to fulfil the condition precedents that would enable them to embark on a strike action.

The AGF, in a letter addressed to the two labour unions, noted that the federal government and other stakeholders involved in the Tripartite Committee on determination of a new national minimum wage, had not declared an end to negotiation.

He argued that in view of the fact that Federal and State governments were not the only employers to be bound by a new national minimum wage, it was therefore “vital to balance the interest and capacity of all employers of labour in the country (inclusive of Organized Private Sector) in order to determine a minimum wage for the generality of the working population.”

Besides, the AGF noted that an order of the National Industrial Court (NIC), which barred the two labour unions from embarking on any form of strike action, was still extant as it has not been set aside.

He, therefore, urged the unions to reconsider their proposed strike action and return to the negotiation table.