Nigerians on Tuesday heave a sigh of relief as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) suspended their industrial action due to disagreements over a new minimum wage and an increase in electricity prices.
According to Festus Osifo, TUC President made the announcement following a joint emergency national executive council meeting of the unions, on Tuesday in Abuja.
He stated that a communiqué will be released soon to this effect.
It was reported that the labour unions said the strike will be suspended for one week to allow for free meetings for the tripartite committee to discuss the new national minimum wage.
On Monday, both unions embarked on strike to voice their complaints over the increase in electricity rates and the absence of agreement on a new minimum wage.
Also speaking, Francis Akinjorin, the Deputy National Secretary of the Association of Air Transport Association of Nigeria (ATTSAN) said: “We are ‘relaxing’ the action for one week and not suspending the strike, to give FG the one week grace and test their sincerity,”
It was learnt that the meeting, which ended at 11.31 am on Tuesday, was jointly presided over by the President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, and his TUC counterpart, Festus Osifo.
After the resolution to halt the ongoing strike for a one-week, the organised labour then proceeded to the Nicon luxury hotel to continue its engagement with the tripartite committee.
The strike, which began on Monday, June 2, 2024, was called to demand a new minimum wage and protest the recent increase in electricity prices.
Recall that after a six-hour meeting with the Federal Government in Abuja on Monday, President Bola Tinubu expressed his commitment to raising the proposed minimum wage of N60,000.
The agreement stated that the President is committed to establishing a National Minimum Wage higher than N60,000.
The Tripartite Committee will convene daily for the next week to finalize an agreeable National Minimum Wage
Many strategic institutions were shut as a result of the strike, just as the whole country was also plunged into darkness as a result of the shutdown of the national grid.