In a move that is sure to heighten tensions, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have called an emergency meeting in response to the Federal Executive Council’s decision to withdraw the memo regarding the national minimum wage.
According to a senior NLC official, the meeting is scheduled to take place at Labour House on Wednesday at 10:00am. The unions are expected to discuss a unified response to the government’s controversial move.
The withdrawal of the minimum wage memo has been met with widespread condemnation from labor organizations and civil society groups across the country. Many see it as a betrayal of previous agreements and a blow to Nigerian workers who are already struggling with the high cost of living.
“This is a direct assault on the rights and wellbeing of Nigerian workers,” said labour activist Mary Ekpo. “The unions have no choice but to mobilize and resist this attack on our hard-won minimum wage.”
The emergency meeting comes as tensions simmer between the government and the labour movement. Both sides have engaged in tense negotiations over the minimum wage in recent months, with workers demanding a higher floor to keep pace with inflation.
Analysts say the outcome of Wednesday’s meeting could have significant implications for industrial harmony in the country in the coming period. All eyes will be on the labour leaders as they determine their next steps in this high-stakes standoff.