A group under the aegis of the Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR) has called on Organised Labour to urgently mobilise and declare a nationwide strike over the minimum wage and the recent hike in electricity tariffs.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chinedu Bosah, CDWR highlighted the ongoing struggle between organized labour, the government, and the private sector regarding the new minimum wage. Negotiations have been deadlocked for over three weeks, with no resolution in sight.
The group pointed out that the government and private sector’s insistence on paying a minimum wage of ₦60,000 led to the declaration of an indefinite strike on June 3, 2024, which was suspended the following day.
CDWR urged the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) to declare and widely mobilise for a 48-hour general strike and mass protest. The aim is to demand a minimum wage of not less than ₦200,000 and the reversal of all anti-poor policies, including privatization, deregulation, subsidy removal, and the electricity tariff hike.
The group argued that the recent mass protests in Kenya, which forced the government to withdraw the IMF/World Bank-inspired tax increment policy, demonstrate that similar actions in Nigeria could pressure the Tinubu-led government to reverse increases in petroleum product prices, electricity tariffs, public school fees, and other neo-liberal capitalist policies. These reversals would provide immediate relief to many Nigerians.
CDWR called on the leadership of NLC and TUC to take decisive action in the minimum wage struggle. They emphasised the need for a grassroots campaign to build support and ensure the trade unions have leaders committed to their responsibilities.
Among the immediate demands should be the automatic adjustment of the minimum wage in line with inflation and the rising cost of living, rather than waiting four or five years for an adjustment.
The group added that declaring the strike could prevent prolonged negotiations and ensure wages keep pace with inflation and the poverty line. They acknowledged that achieving this would require a serious struggle, as the capitalist elite would likely resist any concessions.
