JUST IN: Minimum Wage Dispute: FG, Labour to Resume Negotiations Tomorrow

The Federal Government, through the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), has summoned a meeting of the tripartite committee on the new national minimum wage for tomorrow, June 4.

The previous meeting of the committee ended abruptly on May 31, after the Organised Labour negotiating team walked out due to the government and organised private sector’s (OPS) refusal to increase their offer beyond N60,000.

Sources indicate that tomorrow’s meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m.

The government is reportedly concerned about the high level of compliance and participation by workers in the first day of the indefinite nationwide strike.

Strike Compliance

The unions have shut down the country’s electricity industry in compliance with the strike order. Dominic Igwebike, Acting General Secretary of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), confirmed that the power sector has been shut down.

Additionally, all loading activities at fuel depots in Lagos have been halted by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG). However, already loaded trucks, including those at aviation terminals, were allowed to leave for safety reasons. A labour leader explained, “We don’t want to keep a loaded truck within the depot because it is highly flammable.”

Similarly, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has shut down port operations nationwide. An official of the Union confirmed that, besides Lagos ports, all other port formations in Port Harcourt, Warri, Onne, Calabar, and others have been closed. The ports will remain shut until further notice from the national leadership of organised labour.

The strike has also affected other sectors across the country, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

This article is sourced from The Vanguard newspaper, with minor edits and adaptations by The Spectacles for clarity and readability.