The Labour Party has called on workers’ unions to re-negotiate with the government for a new minimum wage rather than embarking on industrial action.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, emphasized this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday.
Ifoh stated that a strike would only worsen the hardships already faced by Nigerians. “Our immediate reaction is that organized labor should not throw Nigerians into more hardship. Nigerians are already grappling with a lot of challenges, and we do not need to exacerbate the situation,” he said.
READ ALSO: Nationwide Strike Disrupts Court Sitting Over Kano Emirate Tussle
He criticized the labor unions’ demand for a ₦494,000 minimum wage as unrealistic and unsustainable, suggesting it would strain the nation’s finances. “It is a figure that cannot be sustained because it will imply that Nigeria will take all the money it has to pay the civil servants,” Ifoh noted.
Instead of striking, Ifoh urged continuous engagement with the federal government to agree on a more feasible minimum wage. “Negotiation should continue until they get something better.
Asking Nigerian workers to stay at home will affect everything, including the cost of living, and Nigerians cannot afford that now,” he added.
READ ALSO: Medical Practitioners Defy Strike Order, Continue Duties
He highlighted the importance of finding a middle ground, noting that the government had not yet perfected its economic policies. “If the Federal Government is not willing to go above the $60,000 minimum wage, I think that organized labor should work with what is available while it continues to negotiate. We know this government has not gotten it right. It is still trying to test the waters,” Ifoh said.
The Labour Party’s stance comes in response to the nationwide strike declared by organized labor to push for a new national minimum wage.
Despite the Federal Government’s plea for consideration, the strike commenced on Monday after a series of unsuccessful negotiations between the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), and government representatives.
READ ALSO: Labour Shuts Down National Assembly Amid Living Wage Strike
During a Tripartite Committee meeting on minimum wage on May 28, labor representatives walked out after the government increased its offer from ₦57,000 to ₦60,000. Previous proposals of ₦48,000, ₦54,000, and ₦57,000 were rejected by labor, which initially demanded ₦615,000 and later reduced it to ₦494,000 to reflect the rising cost of living.
Ifoh emphasized the Labour Party’s opposition to any actions that could further cause hardship to Nigerians, urging a more pragmatic approach to resolving the minimum wage dispute.