After Mother of All Strikes, FG Signs Agreement with Labour

After a total national shut down and withdrawal of labour services across the country on Monday with no fewer than 30 unions participating in what some have described as the mother of all strikes in Nigeria, the Federal Government and the Organised labour, have signed an agreement over the minimum wage controversy on Monday night.

The agreement was signed after a marathon meeting at the instance of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume.

Open Television Naija reports that the meeting was convened to broker peace after the nationwide strike grounded activities throughout the populous African country.

Below are the details of the agreement sighted by Open Television Naija:

RESOLUTIONS REACHED AT THE MEETING BETWEEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE ORGANISED LABOUR HELD ON MONDAY 3, 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 nationwide strike on Monday, 3rd June, 2024 to drive home its demands.

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.

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

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 everyday 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:

Mohammed Idris

03/08/24

Minister of Information and National Orientation

Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha

Nerf 3/6/24

Minister of State for Labour and Employment

For the Organised Labour:

Joe Ajaero

President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)

Festus Osifo

President, Trade Union Congress (TUC)

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress has said that the strike that was called over the conflict of negotiation for a new minimum wage is still ongoing, noting that the Monday night agreement reached with government nothwithstanding, the natiowide strike continues pending a meeting with its organs.

The NLC made this announcement in a post on social medis platform X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday, despite the fact that the organised Labour signed an agreement with the federal government on Monday night that a new minimum wage above N60,000 will be established.

The post reads, “Until we hear from our organs at our meeting scheduled for today 4th June , we are still on strike.”

Sequel to the Monday night meeting, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation had mentioned that a tripartite committee would meet daily over the next week to finalize an agreeable national minimum wage, emphasizing that labour, respecting the President’s commitment, would promptly convene its organs to consider this new wage proposal.

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nlcandtuc, mother of all strikes, nlc, tuc, labour, national strike