NLC, TUC temporarily suspend nationwide strike over minimum wage; Passengers on local flights besiege airports
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have announced a temporary suspension of the ongoing strike action, putting the fight for a new minimum wage on hold for five days.
The strike which commenced on Monday was called to protest the failure of the Federal Government to approve new minimum wage by May 31 as well as its failure to reverse the hike in electricity tariff.
After a six hour meeting with the leadership of organised labour in Abuja on Monday night, the Federal Government expressed its commitment to raise the bar above the N60,000 it earlier offered as the minimum wage.
The organised labour also agreed to “immediately hold meetings of its organs to consider this new offer, and no worker would face victimisation as a consequence of participating in the industrial action.”
These resolutions were signed on behalf of the Federal Government by Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, and Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha.
Barely few minutes after the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress Suspended the strike, the entrance to passengers for Domestic flights at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport have been opened.
Report has it that the flag of the Nigerian Labour Congress and all restraints to operations at the Airport have all been removed and passengers were seen lining up to enter and register, hoping that they can still fly to their various destinations today.
But international flights operations on Tuesday morning continued uninterrupted as passengers who had planned to board flights to different local destinations were barred from boarding their flights as aviation unions locked the entrance gates to the domestic terminal of the Lagos airport.
Airlines scheduled to take off from Lagos and Abuja airports were denied access to the terminals as unions carrying placards and banners were stationed around the domestic terminals in large numbers, thus crippling flight operations.
