Strike: LP slams Labour, says minimum wage demand unrealistic

The Labour Party (LP) has hit out at the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and its affiliates following their decision to embark on a nationwide strike, saying their demand for N494,000 as minimum wage is unrealistic.

Organised labour had declared a nationwide strike which began on Monday, June 3, 2024, over a proposed new minimum wage following a meeting with the tripartite committee on minimum wage and representatives of labour.

The strike action was decided upon after the Federal Government and the labour unions failed to reach an agreement on a new minimum wage and the reversal of the recent hike in electricity tariffs.

With organised labour asking for a new minimum wage of N494,000 and the government proposing N60,000, both parties are far away from reaching a resolution.

With the nationwide strike taking full effect on Monday, the Labour Party has called on the labour unions to re-negotiate with the government on a new minimum wage instead of embarking on the exercise.

LP spokesman, Obiora Ifoh, made the call during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos State.

“Our immediate reaction is that organised labour should not throw Nigerians into more hardship,” Ifoh said.

“Nigerians are already grappling with a lot of challenges and we do not need to exacerbate the situation.

“I think that the demand for N494,000 minimum wage is unrealistic. It is really unrealistic.

“It is a figure that cannot be sustained because it will imply that Nigeria will take all that money it has to pay the civil servants.”

According to Ifoh, organised labour should endeavour to keep engaging the Federal Government on a figure that would be acceptable to the two parties.

“Negotiation should continue until they get something better. Asking Nigerian workers to stay at home will affect everything, including the cost of living and Nigerians cannot afford that now,” the LP spokesman added.

“Negotiation is not a one-off thing. If the Federal Government is not willing to go above N60,000 minimum wage, I think that Organised Labour should work with what is available while it continues to negotiate.

“We know this government has not gotten it right. It is still trying to test the waters. Our party is against actions that could further cause hardship.”

A former spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar’s 2023 presidential election campaign, Daniel Bwala, has also slammed the labour unions over the ongoing nationwide strike.

“Nigerian Labour Union Congress, you choose to go on strike on the day students across the country are expected to start writing examinations, thereby hurting the very families you claimed to be fighting for, right?,” Bwala said on X.

“You too well know also how much the federal government will be losing daily when you are on strike. How do you expect government to pay your wage demand?”

Bwala added that while he agrees with the need to increase workers’ salaries to match inflation, he, however, condemns any conduct of the Labour union leaders that will further increase the sufferings of their members and the Nigerian people.

“The day the workers’ eyes open to see whose interest the labour leaders are pursuing, that day, workers would sing “Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty we are free at last”,” Bwala said.