Federal Government and Labour Unions in a Meeting To End The Ongoing Strike

The Federal Government of Nigeria has called for an urgent meeting with the leaders of the organized labor in response to the current nationwide strike that began on June 2, 2024. This meeting is a crucial attempt to address the issues that led to the strike and to negotiate a resolution that would suspend the strike action.

The strike was initiated by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) over a disagreement on the proposed national minimum wage. The meeting, which started on June 2, 2024, at the National Assembly complex in Abuja, was convened by the leaderships of the Senate and House of Representatives and was attended by representatives of the federal government and the labor unions. However, the meeting ended in a deadlock, with the labor unions refusing to suspend the strike pending their final consultations with other arms of the unions.

In response to the ongoing strike, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, has called for another meeting with the leaders of the organized labor. This gathering appears to have a distinct purpose compared to the initial meeting, aiming to find a resolution that would satisfy both parties and end the strike.

The government, through the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, is pushing for a suspension of the strike, indicating a move towards negotiations on the minimum wage. This development comes sixteen hours into the commencement of the nationwide strike, highlighting the government’s efforts to avert the indefinite strike action.