Labour has warned that governors opposed to the new minimum wage will not be reelected in the forthcoming 2019 election.
It handed down the warning on Thursday through the Vice Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress in Gombe State, Comrade Adamu Garba, during an interview with NAN in Gombe.
His words: “Majority of governors that fail to implement the minimum wage may not come back for their second term. Instead they will be voted out of office, because of lack of political will.
Many governorship aspirants are willing to implement the minimum wage if given the chance in their various states,” the NLC chieftain said.
He said that the state council of NLC would not compromise its resolve to ensure compliance with the directives of the National Secretariat on the strike, to press for a new national minimum wage for workers in the state.
“All affiliates of NLC have been directed to comply fully with the nationwide strike. We have mobilised our members to ensure total compliance,” Garba said.
According to him, NLC has achieved more than 90 per cent on the implementation of 2011 minimum wage of N18, 000.
He was optimistic that the struggle would yield the anticipated victory for serving and retired civil servants.
Workers are under slavery, says Akwa Ibom NLC
Comrade Iboro Ibara, the Akwa Ibom State NLC Vice Chairman, has described the situation of workers in the country as that of being under slavery.
Ibara said this in an interview with NAN in Uyo on Thursday while monitoring the ongoing warning strike declared by the NLC.
He said that workers in the country were angry because what they were being paid as minimum wage was not up to a living wage
“I don’t think it is a matter of compliance. Every worker in Nigeria knows that he or she is not earning a living wage. It is not a question of compliance.
It is that workers across the country are angry. All offices are under lock and key, you cannot expect to see any worker.
They have been angry for years, this is slavery; we do not even need to compel the workers to join the strike.
Every worker is angrily at homes. They (workers) are looking for avenues to explode. The slavery in this country is too much.
We are talking about living wage here, what we are calling a minimum wage is not even living wage.
The Government should be happy that we have even condescend to a level of even accepting this minimum that cannot be called a living wage.
So, no worker will go to work in Akwa Ibom State until we receive contrary directive from our National Headquarters,” Ibara said.
Strike shuts down agencies at Lagos airport
The strike shut down offices of aviation agencies at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
However, this action did not affect flight operations at the nation’s busiest airport as airlines and passengers went about their respective businesses without harassment from the unions.
Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress and the United Labour Congress had called for the warning strike over non-implementation of the new National Minimum Wage.
Their affiliates in the aviation sector, the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, National Union of Air Transport Employees and the Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals had shut down the agencies in compliance with the directive.
The union members had at the early hours of Thursday barricaded the offices of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency.
Also shut down were the headquarters of the Accident Investigation Bureau and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority at the Lagos airport.
Commenting, Mr Frances Akinjole, the Deputy General Secretary, ATSSSAN, said that unions in the sector only carried out a “light” action.
According to him, this is because “we are currently engaging on another important assignment outside Lagos.”
Also, the strike paralysed activities in all the offices at the Federal Secretariat, Abuja.
The story is the same in Ondo State, where government offices were shut as workers complied with the national directive, which was replicated by the state chapter of workers’leadership.
Organised labour Unions had directed all workers nationwide to down tools as from Thursday to press for the implementation of a new National minimum wage by federal and state governments.
In a Statement jointly signed by the Ondo State Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Tayo Ogunleye and his Trade Union Congress, (TUC) Counterpart, Comrade Soladoye Ekundayo, the labour bodies said the warning strike would be total in line with the directive of their national leadership.
They had directed the leadership of all labour unions in the state to ensure that all workers stay away from their duty posts from midnight on Wednesday.
Labour minister, Dr Chris Ngige had recently abruptly suspended negotiations on the new minimum wage when the committee’s report was expected to have been finalised and submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari.
This minister’s action forced the NLC and TUC to give a 14 day ultimatum which lapsed on Wednesday 26th September.
Activities were paralysed at the federal secretariat located in the Three Arms Zone as most workers did not report for work.
A few of the workers who reported for work were however seen sitting idly at the gates of the complexes in the secretariat. Security was also beefed up at the gates to forestall breakdown of law and order.
Some of the offices affected were the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health among others.
At the complex housing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the flag of the Nigeria Labour Congress was hoisted on the main gate which remained closed to workers.
The big car park located behind the Eagles Square being used by workers was virtually empty.
Those who sell N100 ticket for those who park their cars inside the car park were however on duty. “Hunger will kill me if I should go on strike,” one of them said when asked why he did not join the industrial action.
The strike also affected petty traders who are usually patronised by the workers.
Most hit were food vendors who have their shops inside the car park. At the shops, only a handful of them were operational. Those who were operating were only offering skeletal services.
“We only cooked small food since we heard about the strike before now. We did not cook any ‘swallow,’ we only cooked rice.
In fact, since others are closing, we are also planning to leave now,” “Amarachi, an attendant in one of the food shops said.
Despite the industrial action, military and para-military officials were seen taking part in the rehearsal for the Independence Day Parade at the Eagle Square.
Benin Airport shut
Activities at the Benin Airport were grounded on Thursday as both entry and exit gates were locked, with hundreds of intending passengers stranded, arising from nationwide strike called by the leadership of organised labour.
The strike caused gridlock within the axis of the Airport Road as motorists had a hectic time trying to negotiate the area.
While hundreds of intending passengers loitered around both entry and exit gates, security personnel struggled to control both human and vehicular traffic.
Edo State NLC Chairman, Comrade Emmanuel Ademokun, expressed satisfaction with the level of compliance.
He said that he and his team were going round to ensure total compliance with the stay-at-home directive of the NLC.
“We want to ensure that workers in the state comply with the directive of the NLC on industrial action.
We are not just sitting, but going around to monitor things ourselves.
I am quite satisfied with what I have seen so far and this will continue until there is a directive from the national secretariat,” he stated.
Workers shun nationwide strike in Kaduna
However, Government offices opened in Kaduna .
A NAN correspondent who went round public offices in Kaduna, the state capital, reports that workers were at their duty posts, including Obasanjo House, the state government Secretariat.
Also opened were schools, some banks including the Central Bank of Nigeria, hospitals and other public sector offices in the state capital.
A nurse at the Barau Dikko Hospital, which witnessed high number of patients, said that there has been no formal notice from the state labour unions to commence the strike.
“We only heard of the strike order in the media, there has been no formal notice yet either from the Nigeria Labour Congress or our union, the nurses union, but we are waiting,” she said.
Also, normal activities at the state High Court were going on, although local union officials there said they will meet on Thursday to agree on whether to join the nationwide strike.
At the NLC secretariat, officials were in a meeting on ways to enforce compliance with the strike.
We’re awaiting directive – NUPENG
The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) workers said that the tanker drivers were still awaiting a directive from the national leadership of the union.
According to the National Chairman of NUPENG’s Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PDP) unit, Akanni Oladiti, the drivers would not embark on strike without a message from the national leadership of the union.
“As you know, NUPENG is a member of Trade Union Congress, but we will still have to rely on directives from our leaders,” he said.
Also, the National Publicity Secretary of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, Comrade Chris Nkoro told Daily Trust on phone that the union would meet in a week’s time to decide whether to join the strike.
He, however, said the union would not be part of the strike until the scheduled meeting is held next week.
Judiciary workers direct members to shut down courts
The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) directed members nationwide to comply with the warning strike by the organised Labour to press home their demand for a new minimum wage.
President of JUSUN, Comrade Marwan Mustapha Adamu, who gave the directive, said “As an affiliate of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), all members of JUSUN are to stay back at home from Wednesday midnight, 26th September, 2018. Also, all courts are expected to remain shut until further directive from the national Secretariat of our great union.
“A committee in conjunction with the NLC and other stakeholders was put in place to go round to ensure compliance with the directive.”
We’re joining strike – Bank, insurance workers
The president of the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Fianacial Institutions (ASSBIFI), Mrs Oyinkan Olasnaoye, said that the union members had been mobilised for the strike called for by the organised labour over the new minimum wage.
“We are part of Trade Union Congress (TUC) and as a responsible affliate, we are going to participate in the strike that will commence today (Thursday).
The Trade Union Congress President (TUC) Comrade Bobboi Kaigama said that the union and all its affiliates would join the strike.
“We are definitely joining the strike action. We have given blanket directive to all TUC affiliates to comply. I enjoin our 27 affiliates to make the strike effective,” he said.
Also, the National President of Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) Comrade Nuhu Ogirima that the union would proceed on strike as directed by the Labour centre.
He said, “The union may be compelled to continue the strike in the event of the resolution of the minimum wage debacle should the Federal Government refuse to address the peculiar concerns of our union on the plight of the Colleges of Education on funding and promotion issues.”
Yobe workers, business owners condemn strike
Civil servants, the business community and parents in Damaturu, Yobe State, condemned the Nigeria Labour Congress warning strike, describing it as grossly unnecessary and counterproductive.
A cross section of the respondents, who spoke to NAN, noted that schools and other public institutions in the state were still providing services in spite of the NLC directive that workers should embark on a warning strike.
Abdullahi Musa, a civil servant, said: “Time has come for the trade unions to be decentralised for every state to face its peculiar problems, to avoid holding the country to ransom of unnecessary strike.
Some state and local government workers have not been paid salaries for several months, NLC has never intervened but they drag every state into problems affecting federal civil servants; that is gross injustice.
Similarly, the Academic Staff Union of Universities does not fight for the staff of state-owned universities but pulls state universities into affairs of federal-owned universities, it shouldn’t be so.”
Alhaji Bukar Kaku, a businessman, said strikes had always been an exercise in futility, warning that it would affect the economy badly.
“We should concentrate on issues that would promote the economy and not harmful acts,” Kaku said.
Hajara Umar, a mother of five, said the strike would only have negative impact on the lives of the poor.
“We are currently faced with increased cases of cholera and malaria in Yobe, the strike would only worsen the situation.”
Mr Ibrahim Lawan, Yobe NLC Chairman, said that although workers in the state had no pending case with the state government, the union issued the directive for the strike because it was a national issue.
He said the union was wary of peculiarities and challenges of the state and would avoid issues that may spring confrontation.
“The peculiarities and challenges of the state are quite enormous; we have to be considerate, especially in critical areas of health, water supply and others to avoid total collapse that may invite chaos.
We are looking at how we can manage the situation and we call on government to find a way of resolving the problem, we shouldn’t be talking about industrial action now, especially as we approach the general elections,” Lawan said.
No need for strike, we’ll reconvene October 4, FG tells Labour
Organised Labour accused the Federal Government of failing to mention a figure as new minimum wage for workers in the country.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige had met with the labour leaders on Wednesday where he assured them that the Tripartite Committee would reconvene on October 4, 2018 for further negotiations.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting attended by leaders of the NLC, TUC and affiliate unions, Ngige said the decisions taken by the tripartite committee would be passed to the federal executive council for approval.
But the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, insisted that the position of the union, which was taken prior to the deadlocked meeting with Ngige, still stands.
Wabba had on Wednesday morning said all workers would begin a nation-wide warning strike over the refusal of the Federal Government to reconvene the meeting of the committee on minimum wage to enable it conclude its work.
The NLC president said the strike action was in compliance with the decision of the various organs of the organised labour which endorsed the 14-day ultimatum served on the Federal Government by members of the labour team who are members of the committee on the new minimum wage.
He said: “Industrial unions, state councils, all worker organistions and our civil society allies have been directed to step up mobilization of their members. All public and private institutions, offices, banks, schools, public and private business premises including filling stations are to remain shut till further notice.”
Wabba recalled that the National Minimum Wage Committee had commenced work in March 2018 with timelines to arriving at a new national minimum wage in August/ September 2018.
He said, to meet this deadline, the committee worked assiduously and meticulously, but was shocked by the decision of government to adjourn the meeting of the committee indefinitely to enable consultations by the Federal Government team.
Wabba said the Federal Government’s decision was against the principle of collective bargaining.
“Left with no other option, members of the Organised Labour served a 14-day notice on the Government to reconvene the meeting of the committee to enable it conclude its work. These are clear signs that the government is not ready for a new national minimum wage. It has only been taking workers for a ride,” Wabba said.
He added that the warning strike is a precursor to the main strike which will be the mother of all strikes.
The Organised Labour is demanding an upward review from N18,000 to N56,000 as minimum wage. But the government said state governments have not been able to agree on a figure.
Ngige had earlier told State House reporters after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo that there was a communication gap between them and the organized labour, hence the threat for the warning strike.
“Communication gap was discovered this morning; a breach in communication gap. They said they wrote a letter to me and the SGF but I didn’t see it,” he said. The meeting however deadlocked.
NAN/Punch/Daily Trust
