The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have decided to suspend their strike for one week.
This decision comes amidst ongoing disagreements over a new minimum wage and the recent increase in electricity tariffs.
Festus Osifo, the TUC president, announced the suspension in Abuja on Tuesday after a joint extraordinary national executive council meeting of both unions.
“A joint NEC meeting of TUC/NLC has approved to relax the industrial action for one week with immediate effect,” Osifo told Channels Television.
He mentioned that an official statement would be released later. The unions had begun their strike on Monday to protest against the electricity tariff hike and the failure to reach a consensus on a new minimum wage.
The strike severely disrupted essential sectors, leading to the closure of schools, businesses, hospitals, and airports, and caused a shutdown of the national grid, plunging the country into darkness.
The labour unions had set a deadline of May 31 to reach an agreement on the new minimum wage. Despite several negotiations with the Federal Government, the unions rejected three offers, the most recent being ₦60,000, and insisted on ₦494,000. Following this, the TUC and NLC withdrew from the negotiations.
In a bid to end the strike, the Federal Government and labour leaders held a marathon meeting that extended late into the night. Attendees included the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) George Akume, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, the Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris, TUC’s Osifo, and NLC President Joe Ajaero.
By the end of the meeting, several resolutions were reached, including the government’s promise to offer more than ₦60,000 and to hold regular meetings with the unions. They also agreed that no worker would face retaliation for participating in the industrial action.
