NLC Calls Ebonyi Governor’s Threat to Sack Workers ‘Irresponsible’ Amid Minimum Wage Strike

Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has deplored the threats made by the Governor of Ebonyi, Mr. Francis Nwifuru to sack striking workers as irresponsible and unhelpful.

Workers in Ebonyi State had commenced strike on Monday in compliance with the directive by the labour movement that every state branch should embark on strike by December 2nd to compel the implementation of the N70,000 new minimum wage law.

A statement by NLC president, Joe Ajaero directed all the affiliates including those in the private sector to immediately join in the strike action.

The NLC further urged the workers already on strike to not yield to the threats of the governor.

“They are to sustain the momentum until the governor sees the need to not only behave properly but pay the minimum wage in compliance with the Law.

While responding to the threat by the governor to sack workers, who join the NLC strike, Ajaero said, “We are dismayed by the statement credited to the Ebonyi State Governor, Mr Nwifuru, that except the striking workers in the state over non-payment of the National Minimum Wage resume work immediately they should consider themselves sacked.

“We recall that the strike action was preceded by failed conversations and notices to the governor on the need to implement the 2024 national minimum wage since it was signed into law several months ago.”

NLC said the country’s law has provisions for enforcement by workers, and that strike action is a lawful/legitimate tool in the hands of aggrieved workers.

According to NLC, what the governor ought to have done was to invite the labour leaders in the state for dialogue for a speedy resolution of the facts in issue.

“In light of this, we consider the threats by the governor as irresponsible and unhelpful,” he said.

The NLC said its major focus was to ensure that government policies were aimed at lifting people and workers out of poverty and not push more into grinding poverty.

This comes as workers in Kwara State Tertiary institutions on Monday declared a three-day warning strike over the non-payment of the new minimum wage of N70,000 by the State government.

NLC said the 2024 national minimum wage should be seen as a new social contract that seeks fair income for all, adding that the target was to see its complete implementation before the new year.

Addressing participants at the NLC’s 2024 Annual Harmattan School held in Abuja, Ajaero said the event would enable the workers to craft better strategies to grapple with the inevitable challenges ahead.

Ajaero, who recounted several confrontations with the government in the past one year, said 2024 witnessed one of the greatest turbulences in NLC history as a movement.

Meanwhile, workers in the Kwara State tertiary institutions have declared a three-day warning strike over the non-payment of new minimum wage of N70,000 by the state government.

But the state government said workers had received their November salary, with others still being credited, except for those who are yet to complete their registration with the Kwara State Resident Registration Agency (KWSRRA) as earlier instructed.

However, the Committee of Unions in Tertiary Institutions (CUTI) in the state in a statement issued in Ilorin stated that the warning strike was scheduled to take place from December 4th to 6th.

Hammed Shittu and Onyebuchi Ezigbo

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