Fed Govt Declares Nationwide Strike Action by Labour Unions Illegal

The federal government has condemned the strike action planned by organized labour for Monday, June 3rd, labeling it “premature, illegal, and illegitimate.” According to the government, the labour unions failed to adhere to sections 41 and 42 of the Trade Dispute Act of 2004, which mandates a 15-day notice before initiating a strike.

In a letter addressed to the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Lateef Fagbemi, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, emphasized that the strike action was untimely. He noted that the Tripartite Committee’s negotiations for a new national minimum wage were still ongoing.

Festus Osifo, President of the TUC, had earlier stated that the decision to strike was due to a breakdown in negotiations over the new national minimum wage. Osifo criticized the government’s lack of response to labour’s concerns, including recent electricity tariff hikes and demands for a living wage. He noted, “Since our nationwide protest against the recent hike in electricity tariffs, no government official has called us for discussion. Even the Minister of Power has not thought it fit to invite us for discussion.”

Fagbemi responded by reiterating the ongoing nature of the negotiations and highlighting the need to consider the interests and capacities of all employers, including the organized private sector, before setting a new national minimum wage. He drew attention to the legal requirement for a 15-day strike notice, which he said had not been met by either the NLC or TUC. He stated, “The fundamental importance of the 15-day notice is underscored by sections 41 and 42, which criminalize non-compliance with this requirement for a valid declaration of strike action.”

Additionally, Fagbemi noted that the unions failed to follow the statutory dispute resolution procedures outlined in section 18(1)(a) of the Trade Dispute Act of 2004.

Despite these warnings, various affiliates of the NLC and TUC have issued notices mobilizing their members for an indefinite nationwide strike starting at midnight on Monday. These affiliates include the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, and the National Union of Banks, Insurance, and Financial Institutions Employees, among others.

Further details are expected to emerge as the situation develops.