The Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress on Monday, threatened to shut down the activities of any state who refuses to comply with the new minimum wage when signed into law by the federal government.
Akeem Lasisi, Chairman of the Ogun State Council of TUC, stated this while speaking with journalists in Abeokuta.
Recall that the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, commenced their indefinite nationwide strike, on Monday, over the federal government’s refusal to increase the minimum wage from N60,000.
Newsmen observed that there was full compliance in the Ogun State as courts, banks, government offices, public schools and the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, IBEDC, were all shut down.
Lasisi, who spoke shortly after monitoring the level of compliance, said it would be “fire-for-fire” for any state governor that refuses to implement the new minimum wage if signed into law by the Federal government.
He maintained that the union would not back down nor shift ground on any of its positions until the Federal government yielded to its demands.
“Workers should not perish at the expense of the nation to develop, we are the ones that dictate the development of the nation, that is why we believe that workers should not be allowed to go into suffering and something urgent should be done to ensure workers in the country get their own benefits.
“For any state that refuses to pay the ongoing minimum wage, it will be fire-for-fire because it is backed by a law, it is a law and it must be obeyed by every citizen of the country. Note that labour is under exclusive list, whatever happens at the national bounce on everybody”, Lasisi said.
On his part, the state chairman of NLC, Hameed Benco, said the strike would continue until the Federal government agrees to their demands.
He urged the government to address the workers’ plight and also reverse the electricity tariff hike.
