Labour leaders storms SGF office for closed-door meeting
Labour leaders have arrived at the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation for a closed-door meeting with government representatives, according to highly placed source informed The Punch correspondent.
“We are also meeting with the government representative in the SGF office today. Already seated awaiting the government representative,” the source said.
The source has yet to mention the names of the government representatives who bid to attend to the labour leaders at the time of filing this report.
It is no longer news that some unions have shut their workplaces to comply with the directive of the two labour unions to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike.
Recalled that on Friday, organised labour announced that they will be commencing a nationwide indefinite strike due to the refusal of the Federal Government to increase the proposed minimum wage from N60,000.
According to the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, the strike will begin at midnight on Sunday, June 2, 2024.
In a joint statement delivered by Ajaero and his Trade Union Congress counterpart, Festus Osifo, they expressed their serious concerns and disappointment over the Federal Government’s failure to finalise and pass a new National Minimum Wage Act into law.
However, talks between organised labour and the Federal Government broke down on Tuesday after both parties presented their offers.
The government increased its initial offer of N57,000 by adding N3,000 to make it N60,000. ,
This proposal was rejected by labour during the meeting.
During negotiations at this meeting, labour also lowered their demand from last week’s proposal of N497,000 by removing N3,00 which reduced their new proposal to N494,000.
So, we are urging them to come back and continue with the negotiation. This is because what they are planning to do could spell doom for Nigeria and the government cannot allow anything to jeopardize the Nigerian economy as well as its peace and security,” the minister stated.
Unions mobilise workers
Meanwhile, the affiliates of the NLC and TUC have begun mobilising their members nationwide, ahead of the strike.
To ensure full compliance with the strike directive, the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives the Joint Health Sector Unions, and scores of other unions have issued notices of strike to their members.
In a notice to judicial workers, the JUSUN General Secretary, M. Akwashiki, said all the courts would be shut down during the labour action.
The statement read, “Following a declaration of industrial action by NLC and TUC, beginning from Monday 3rd June 2024, due to the inability of the government to conclude the negotiation of the new National Minimum Wage and refusal to reverse the increase in electricity tariff, I am directed to inform you to commence mobilisation ahead of the action.
“The action will start at midnight on Sunday nationwide, so all branches /chapters chairmen and secretaries of JUSUN are expected to ensure strict compliance with this directive.
“All vice presidents of our great unions are to monitor their respective zones to ensure compliance with the total shutdown of all courts and Judicial Institutes across Nigeria.
“Note that the nationwide action is to ensure governments agree on a new national minimum wage and subsequently pass it into law before the end of this month as they were notified; Reverse the hike in electricity tariff without consulting the stakeholders as required by the law to N225/kwh back to N66/kwh; Stop the apartheid categorization of Nigerian electricity consumers into bands.”
Furthermore, healthcare workers under the aegis of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives and the Joint Health Sector Unions have said they will join the strike.
Speaking with our correspondent in a chat on Sunday, the National Secretary of JOHESU, Martin Egbanubi, said all the affiliate unions of the NLC and TUC have directed their members to join the strike.
JOHESU is the umbrella body for the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria; the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals; the Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, and Associated Institutions; and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Associated Institutions.
When asked about the fate of patients who will need the services of its members, the secretary replied, “Certainly, that’s a big question for the government to answer. The strike is meant to elicit a response from the employer(s) on an issue in dispute and in this case, it’s a dispute of right.
“Union by labour jurisprudence can declare industrial action on the dispute of right. So, let the government respond expeditiously to the demand of Organised Labour for a decent wage.
“We are all in it together, anybody can fall sick and need urgent medical attention. Even with the current socio-economic conditions, workers are sick with poor wages and high cost of living.”
Also, the Chairman of NANNM, Lagos State Council, Christianah Adeboboye, confirmed that nurses will join the strike.
The Nigeria Union of Railway Workers through its Secretary-General, Igbokwe Francis, announced its readiness to participate in the strike, urging the Nigeria Railway Corporation management to protect all critical equipment and properties.
The Secretary General of the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals, Abdul- Rasaq Said, criticized the government for delaying the negotiations and directed ANAP members and all aviation workers to stay away from work from Sunday midnight.
Also, the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees in a notice of mobilization signed by its General Secretary, Sikiru Waheed, directed all state councils to mobilize their members for the strike.
Similarly, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers have directed their members to comply with the strike directive.
NUPENG members largely control activities in the midstream and downstream arms of the oil sector, while those in PENGASSAN handle the bulk of the upstream activities in the oil and gas sector.
The PENGASSAN and NUPENG directed their members to shut down all operations in the upstream, midstream and downstream arms of the oil sector, except for personnel manning for safety.
The General Secretary, PENGASSAN, Lumumba Okugbawa, signed the letter for the senior staff association, while the General Secretary, NUPENG, Afolabi Olawale, signed for the downstream/midstream oil union.
The letter by PENGASSAN read in part, “To all National Executive Council Members. Dear Comrades. Directive to embark on a nationwide strike.
“Following the directives from our umbrella body, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria on the above subject, you are hereby directed to withdraw your services from all work locations effective Monday, June 03, 2024. The withdrawal of members includes offices, a logistics base, field operations, terminal operations, loading points, etc. The only exception is personnel manning for safety.
“The above is a result of the breakdown of discussion on the national minimum wage between the government and organised labour as the government is not desirous of offering an acceptable minimum wage that could address the current economic challenges plaguing the country’s workforce.
“We expect total compliance as anything to the contrary will be viewed as sabotage of the struggle which will attract the necessary sanctions.”
In another notice, the PENGASSAN directed its enforcement teams to block the entrances of all upstream oil installations nationwide beginning from Monday.
It gave the directive in a notice titled, ‘Special announcement from the National Desk of PENGASSAN,’ to all the oil union’s zonal, branch, and central executive councils.
The directive signed by the Public Relations Officer, Lagos Zone, PENGASSAN, Juliana Adenike, read in part, “Concerning the planned withdrawal of service from all of our offices on Monday, June 3, 2024, it is mandatory that there be strict compliance. It is your responsibility to ensure ‘no entry and exit’ in your offices by any of our members.
“All ZECOM, BEC, and CEC executives are to wear red or any PENGASSAN attire. (You should) mount your entrances and ensure that there is 100 per cent compliance with the above directive.
“There will be a joint task force of TUC/NLC and Lagos ZECOM going around to ascertain full compliance. Any company in default will be penalised.”
The NUPENG in its letter titled, ‘Compliance with the directive on indefinite nationwide strike,’ said the union was fully committed to the decision to embark on the strike.
Meanwhile, members of the Organised Private Sector have firmly voiced their opposition to the proposed strike, emphasising that it could unleash dire consequences, wreaking havoc on both the economy and businesses alike.
The OPS members in separate interviews said the economy is too fragile to withstand the repercussions of another strike action.
culled: punchng.com
