..Insists action will continue till new wage is paid
The Organized labour, comprising members of the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) Monday proceeded on an indefinite strike over the minimum wage impasse with the Federal Government, in line with the directive of their National leadership.
They are insisting that the strike will continue till the Federal Government does the needful,which is paying the proposed N494,000 minimum wage to an average Nigerian worker.
Addressing journalists at the Labour Office in Umuahia, the NLC Chairman,Comrd Ogbonnaya Okoro said there is no going back to the strike, which he described as total strike.
The Chairman enumerated the prices of food items in the market today, as compared to early last year before the commencement of this President Ahmed Bola Tinubu led Federal Government, emphasizing that the increment is over 300%.
Comrd Okoro said amidst this glaring poverty starring Nigerians on the face,the Federal Government bought SUVs worth about N160m for each of the over 700 members of the National Assembly.
The Abia State NLC boss, recalled that it took the National Assembly less than 48hours to change the new National Anthem to the old one and wondered why it is taking the Federal Government a long time to approve a living wage for Nigerian workers.
“Since labour has shifted ground from N615,000 to N494,000 and considering the current cost of living,there should not be anything stopping the Federal Government from accepting the labour’s demand.
Our National leadership has directed that the strike should commence and will continue,while negotiation progresses.
“Labour is asking for a living wage for our members. It is our right,so government is not dashing us money.
We will continue the strike till our demand is met,”the NLC Chairman stressed.##
