There were indications that organised labour may have reached a truce with the federal government over the issue of minimum wage and the industrial action may be called off on its second day. Different meetings by the labour unions as well as that of the Tripartite Committee will be held this morning.

A meeting with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress with their organs and affiliates will be held from 9:00 am on Tuesday.

A joint statement between the Federal Government and organised labour indicated that a truce may have been agreed though negotiations will continue over the next few days to agree on a figure fixed as the new minimum wage. The government may have agreed on a figure much higher than N60,000.00 but not more than N100,000.00, sources close to the meeting said.

The joint statement reads “Resolutions Reached At the Meeting Between the Federal Government and the Organised Labour Held on Monday 3rd June 2024.

Further to the negotiation by the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage (NMW) and subsequent withdrawal of Labour from negotiation, the Leadership of the National Assembly intervened on 2nd June 2024. The Organised Labour declared a nationwide strike on Monday, 3rd June 2024 to drive home its demands.

2. The Federal Government, in the National interest, convened a meeting with Labour held in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, on Monday 3rd June, with a view to ending the strike action.

3. After exhaustive deliberation and engagement by both parties, the following resolutions were reached:

1. The President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria is committed to a National Minimum Wage that is higher than N60,000;

II. Arising from the above, the Tripartite Committee is to meet every day for the next one week with a view to arriving at an agreeable National Minimum Wage;

III. Labour in deference to the high esteem of the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria’s commitment in (ii) above undertakes to convene a meeting of its organs immediately to consider this commitment; and

IV. No worker would be victimized as a result of the industrial action.

Done in Abuja on the 3rd of June, 2024.
Signed
For the Federal Government of Nigeria:
1. Mohammed Idris
03/08/24
Minister of Information and National Orientation
2. Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha
Nerf 3/6/24
Minister of State for Labour and Employment

For the Organised Labour:
1. Joe Ajaero
President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)
2. Festus Osifo
President, Trade Union Congress (TUC)

TUC Issues Directives to Members
Shortly after the meeting with the government, the Trade Union Congress issued a directive to its members inviting organs to a meeting at 9:00 am. The letter was full of commendations for their support and cooperation during the industrial strike. The letter reads: “Dear Comrades, Letter of Appreciation on the National Minimum Wage Strike: We convey compliments from the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), and on behalf of the President, Comrade (Engr.) Festus Osifo, we write to express our deepest appreciation and gratitude for your unwavering commitment and participation in the National Minimum Wage strike action which was declared on Sunday at midnight 2 June nationwide.

“Your dedication to the cause and your willingness to stand up for the rights and well-being of workers, and Nigerians in general is truly inspiring. Your presence on the front lines of the industrial action sends a powerful message to those in power and shows the strength and unity of our movement.

“Your actions have not gone unnoticed and have made a significant impact in our fight for better living conditions and rights of the Nigerian people. The Federal Government convened a meeting with organized labour held in the office of the Secretary to the Federal Government to review the strike action in back by labour.

“As a follow-up of the meeting, a joint NEC of the two Labour is scheduled as follows
Time: 9:00 am
Date: 4 June 2024
A link will be communicated later. While appreciating you for your sacrifices and contributions, kindly accept the assurances of our esteemed regards.
Yours in struggle,

Comrade Hassan Salihu Anka
Acting Secretary General

It is believed that the NLC will also hold its meeting with its organs this morning and a joint meeting of the two leadership will decide whether the strike will be suspended or will continue.

War of Nerves as Negotiations Proceeded
There was a war of nerves between the organised Labour and the government representatives in the offices of the Secretary to the Federal Government.

Ahead of the strike action the Minister of Justice and Attorney General Mr. Lateef Fagbemi issued a statement declaring the strike action illegal. In a letter to the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress leaders, dated June 1, 2024, the Attorney General insisted that the strike over the new minimum was a violation of a subsisting National Industrial Court order restraining the unions from grounding the nation through the strike action.

It became worrisome when a large presence of soldiers and other security personnel was noticed at the venue of the meeting between organised labour and the government on Monday night, raising an alarm that something untoward could be in the offing.

This prompted the Nigeria Labour Congress to promptly issue a piece of breaking news on its communication channels including its X handle where an alarm was pushed out: “BREAKING NEWS!
Soldiers are Presently surrounding the venue of the meeting between Labour and Government at the premises of the SGF.”

Promptly too, the Nigerian Army through its official X handle dispelled the NLC breaking news, explaining the presence of soldiers at the meeting venue: “The attention of Army Headquarters has been drawn to a false breaking news by NLC alleging that soldiers currently surround the venue of the ongoing meeting between NLC and the SGF.

“Kindly note that the NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who is also attending the meeting, arrived at the meeting venue with his retinue of statutorily approved military escorts. Once the meeting is over, the escorts will lead the NSA from the venue. Kindly disregard the deliberate and misleading falsehood being peddled about the presence of the escorts at the meeting”

However, the meeting ended peacefully and no attempt was made to harass or intimidate the Labour leaders.

The Way Forward
It is more likely that Labour may suspend its strike action later today while negotiations continue. The strike action has been very successful and effective. For more than 24 hours the nation’s grid was shut down throwing the entire country into darkness; airlines could not operate their flights; and most government offices were under lock and in a few that opened, workers were later chased out.

A lot of Nigerians blamed the government for its delay or rigmarole in reaching an agreement with organized labour early enough. The review of the National Minimum Wage comes periodically every five years. The last one was held in 2019 which expired middle of April. Rather than go into serious negotiations, the Tripartite Committee set up to handle the matter went around the country for jamboree public hearings and requested N1.5 million to fund its activities. The President, however, cut the budget to N500 million in the first instance.

Discussion on the national minimum wage is heated because of the decline in the economy where prices soar daily as a result of uncontrollable inflation. The whole problem started with government policies to remove fuel subsidies and float the Naira. The intensity of the labour demand was accentuated by the way of life of the political class which does not reflect the sacrifice they want the average worker to bear.

The government will need to put in place measures to improve the economy, improve infrastructure and provide social services to its citizens to alleviate suffering otherwise after an agreement on this minimum wage, there could still be other protests organised or uncoordinated if the economy continues its downward slide. What should be of great concern to the government is how to stem the tide and avoid mass protests similar to the Arab Spring. That will be the Day. May Nigeria’s situation never get to that level.