The Abia State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress has pledged to comply with the directive from the national leadership of NLC and the Trade Union Congress to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike starting on Monday.
The strike is in response to the Federal Government’s failure to enact a new National Minimum Wage Act and reverse the recent electricity tariff hike to N65/kwh.
According to The PUNCH, Abia NLC Chairman, Ogbonnaya Okoro, confirmed the development in an interview on Friday, stating that the state chapter will join the strike after mobilizing its members over the weekend.
Okoro explained that the strike will commence on Monday, and necessary steps will be taken to ensure a smooth transition.
He noted that the short notice from the national leadership meant that formal notices could not be served on Saturday, but the state chapter will follow due process and convene an emergency meeting on Monday to finalize arrangements.
“We will join the strike. By this weekend, we will start mobilisation and join others. The order is just coming this night and we will communicate them on Monday. It will begin on Monday and will not stop on Monday.
“The offices are not open on weekends and we will not go beyond the law. The arrangement came suddenly. We will follow the due process and serve them. We will call for state emergency meeting on Monday. We will do the necessary things so that we will not be faulted.
“The order came late and you don’t serve notices on Saturday, so we will do that on Monday,” he said.
The minimum wage dispute dates back to April 2019 when former President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Minimum Wage Repeal and Re-Enactment Act, 2019, setting the new minimum wage at N30,000.
