Home LOCAL NLC vows to shutdown Nigeria after November 6 over minimum wage

NLC vows to shutdown Nigeria after November 6 over minimum wage

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The Nigeria Labour Congress NLC, has vowed to go ahead with its planned strike action, over government’s refusal to increase minimum wage, hence it tells Nigerians to stock up supplies.

The Union in a communiqué issued at the end of an emergency meeting of its National Executive Council in Abuja on Tuesday threatened to “shutdown the country”.

In the communiqué signed by the President of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba, and its General Secretary, Dr Peter Ozo-Eson, the Union gave a rallying call to all member organizations.

It directed all affiliate unions, state councils, civil society allies, the informal sector and other friends of workers and lovers of democracy to commence immediate mobilisation of their members.

The NLC is not happy with the government for its plan to implement the  ‘no work, no pay’ policy adding that what should have been implemented was ‘no pay, no work’. 

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In the statement released the Union said.. “The NEC advised Nigerians to start stocking up food and other necessities of life as workers will ensure a total shut down of the country”.

While in session, the NEC condemned the government for its design/plan to clamp down on labour via selective and erroneous invocation of the ‘no work, no pay” clause in the Trade Disputes Act.

It also noted that the right to strike is both a human and trade union right and cannot be abridged as it is what distinguishes a worker from a slave.

The Union also added that…

“the prohibition or exclusion of non-card carrying members of trade unions from leading or being part of negotiation delegations of trade unions reminiscent of the Abacha military era.”

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The NLC insisted that the national minimum wage must be N30,000 and berated the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige for not being sincere.

It also totally opposed the fixing of tenure for workers holding union executive positions in contravention of the provisions of ILO Convention 87.

The Union fixed October 30 as a day to hold national mobilisation and sensitisation rallies for all workers to show their outrage and mourning in the 36 states of the federation and the FCT.

“The day will also be used to educate and sensitise Nigerians to the horrendous plight of workers and pensioners, the insensitivity and duplicity of the government on labour issues, and to protest the proposed obnoxious policies of government against organised labour,” the Union said.

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Although the Federal Government has said it had no intentions to clamp down on organised labour, the Union rallies its members against the muted ‘no work no pay’ policy.

The NLC stated clearly it’s intentions to go ahead with the planned Nationwide strike if the minimum wage was not Increased as it proposes by November 6.

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