By Funso Alarape
Monday, June 3, 2024
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The organized labor has insisted that the proposed national-wide strike will begin today.
This followed the inability of the National Assembly to persuade the labor leaders to shelve the strike action.
Whereas the Federal Government has said it could only pay N60,000 as minimum wage, the labor insisted on N494,000.
The Federal Government said the labor demand of N494,000 could cripple the economy even as the private sector accepts the N60,000 minimum wage.
Here are 14 reasons the FG gave for an N60,000 minimum wage:
N35,000 wage award for all treasury-paid Federal workers.
N100 billion for the procurement of CNG-fuelled buses and CNG conversion kits.
N125 billion conditional grant and financial inclusion to MSMEs.
N25,000 each to be shared to 15 million households for 3 months.
N185 billion palliatives (loans to States) to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.
N200 billion to support the cultivation of hectares of land to boost food production.
N75 billion to strengthen the manufacturing sector.
N1 trillion for student loans for higher education.
Release of 42,000 metric tons of grains from strategic reserves.
Purchase and onward distribution of 60,000 metric tons of Rice from the rice millers association.
Recent salary increase of 25-35 percent on all consolidated Salary structures for federal workers.
90% subsidy on health costs for Federal Civil Servants registered on NHIS.
Light rail was commissioned in Abuja to relieve transportation costs till the end of the year. Lagos State had already commenced the same initiative with their Blue and Red lines.
In addition to the freedom of Civil Servants to engage in agriculture, the Federal Government has approved the inclusion of ICT services for alternate sources of income.
As part of the mobilization for the strike, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, has directed the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions, ASSBIFI, Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, and other senior staff associations to ensure total compliance.
Earlier, Nigeria Labour Congress’ affiliates, including the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees, NUBIFIE, and other critical sector unions had written to their members to ensure total compliance.
Meanwhile, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, (SAN), has faulted the organized labor over the nationwide strike it is starting today (Monday).
Fagbemi, in a letter to the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress leaders, dated June 1, 2024, 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.
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