Abuja, Nigeria – The Organised Labour, consisting of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has firmly rejected any minimal addition to the ₦60,000 offer proposed by the tripartite committee for the new minimum wage. This stance was articulated by TUC President Festus Osifo during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Tuesday.
The statement came shortly after the Organised Labour suspended its industrial action, which commenced at 12:01 am on Monday.
“At the meeting on Friday, they (the tripartite committee) said they would not add anything more to the ₦60,000 but in the meeting of yesterday (Monday), Mr President was able to commit to doing what is more than ₦60,000,” Osifo stated.
Prior to the strike, the tripartite committee, which includes the Federal Government, state representatives, and the Organised Private Sector, had made several offers to Labour: ₦48,000, ₦54,000, ₦57,000, and finally ₦60,000. All these offers were rejected by the TUC and NLC.
When asked if Labour would accept a small increase to the ₦60,000 offer, Osifo was clear: “No, we also told them that it’s not that we’d get to the table and you start adding ₦1, ₦2, ₦3,000 as you were doing and we got some good guarantees here and there that they would do something good.”
Osifo emphasized that while the Organised Labour is not rigidly demanding ₦494,000 as the new minimum wage, the tripartite committee must make a serious and economically realistic offer that reflects current inflationary pressures. The new minimum wage, he argued, should match the purchasing power of ₦30,000 in 2019 and ₦18,000 in 2014.
The TUC President also criticized the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, who had labeled the strike as “premature” and “illegal.” Osifo countered that the Organised Labour had given the government a one-month notice during this year’s Workers’ Day on May 1, 2024, which ended on May 31, 2024.
### ‘Strike Has Awoken Everybody’
Despite its short duration, the strike has successfully highlighted workers’ demands, according to the TUC leader. Osifo remarked, “When it comes to the issue of Labour, it should be taken much more seriously. The attention should be there.”
He further noted, “What has this strike achieved today? This strike has awoken everybody. I can tell you that between now and the next one week, the entire attention is going to be on the tripartite committee. That was actually what we were trying to achieve and we have achieved that.”
Earlier on Tuesday, the Organised Labour paused its nationwide strike following assurances from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, who conveyed President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to a minimum wage exceeding ₦60,000. The President also directed the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, to present a new minimum wage template by Wednesday.
This development marks a critical juncture in the ongoing negotiations, as both the government and the Organised Labour seek a resolution that addresses the economic realities faced by Nigerian workers.