The organized labor movement in Nigeria has announced its decision to suspend the indefinite strike for seven days, following discussions at the tripartite committee on the national minimum wage.
During the adjourned meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to consider a new national minimum wage higher than N60,000 was acknowledged and accepted by the committee.
Over the past forty-eight hours, many Nigerians have experienced confusion, frustration, and anger due to the indefinite strike called by the NLC and TUC, while others remained indifferent to the industrial action.
However, there is now a sense of relief as the organized labor adheres to the resolutions reached during a meeting on Monday, June 4, initiated by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF). The strike will be relaxed for five working days or one week.
While the government and the organized private sector welcome this decision, the crucial question remains: what amount will be proposed to reach an acceptable and realistic minimum wage for all parties?
There is optimism among the government and private sector that an agreement will be reached at Wednesday’s meeting, potentially averting a scenario where labor demands N494,000 and calls off its industrial action.