The organised Labour are insisting on work to rule, effective November unless the government pays N30,000 minimum wage.
The Labour leaders have asked Nigerians to prepare for the indefinite strike by stockpiling food as there will be no going back from the amount they are asking for even when the governors of the 36 states of the federation have resolved to pay N22,500 as new minimum wage to workers.
The governors took the decision after their three-hour meeting under that auspices of Nigeria Governors’ Forum in Abuja late Tuesday evening.
The governors, most of who are seeking reelection, are also conscious of the threat from Labour that their members should not vote for any governor whom says he cannot pay the new minimum wage.
But the organised labour has started sensitizing their members ahead the November 6 indefinite strike.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the United Labour Congress, (ULC), and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) are insisting that the minimum wage a Nigerian worker is entitled to should be N30,000.
National President, United Labour Congress (ULC), Comrade Joe Ajaero told reporters on Tuesday that the sensitisation is to prepare the minds of Nigerians on what is ahead so they don’t wake up and see strike and start asking why. He said N30,000 is non negotiable.
“We came up with N36, 522.18, median of N45, 000 and mode of N50, 000, later it came to N35, 000, came down to N35, 000 before we finally settled on N30, 000 because they complained that their business will be affected. We accepted it in the spirit of give and take. Why must they owe workers? Have you ever heard that government is owing governors, senator ?” he queried.
“Posterity will judge us if we fail to rise up to defend Nigerian workers,” he said, as he also disclosed that the November 6 will be the mother of all strikes in Nigeria.