Labour suspends minimum wage strike for one week

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have “relaxed” their nationwide strike.

Joe Ajaero, NLC president, said the strike has been “relaxed for one week”.

Labour had embarked on the strike after negotiations with the federal government on a new minimum wage hit a brick wall.

The industrial action paralysed economic and government activities across the nation for two days.

Organised labour suspended the strike after its national executive council (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Tuesday.

Festus Osifo, TUC president, said a communique on the development will be issued shortly.

Labour had reached an agreement with the federal government on a minimum wage threshold on Monday.

The tripartite committee will continue negotiations during the one week “grace” period.

Ajaero said Monday’s meeting with the federal government means negotiations can be completed within a week.

The NLC president said the negotiation has returned to the status quo of N494,000 and N60,000 demands.

“We did not suspend. We relaxed our action for one week so that we can negotiate. Yesterday’s meeting was a kind of mediatory meeting,” Ajaero said.

“The federal government is committed to moving beyond N60,000. It is like they have given a framework for us to negotiate and reach a certain threshold.

“The meeting showed that the negotiation should be completed within one week.”