By Enyichukwu Enemanna
The Federal Government of Nigeria has warned that workers participating in the nationwide indefinite strike declared by labour unions are at the risk of a six-month jail term.
Heritage Times HT reports that Organised Labour had last week threatened to embark on strike, beginning from Monday June 3, over the inability of government to pay the new national minimum wage of N494,000 proposed by the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
Labour had said the strike will go ahead after a three-hour meeting with the National Assembly leadership and top officials of the Executive arm of government failed.
The Federal Government had insisted that it would not pay above N60,000 as minimum wage, saying the N494,000 proposed by Labour is not attainable.
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) in a statement on Sunday said Section 18 of the Trade Disputes Act requires a worker employed in any essential services to give their employer 15 days notice before ceasing their services and anyone who did not comply would be liable on conviction to a fine or imprisonment for six months.
He said the fundamental importance of the 15-day notice is underscored by the fact that Sections 41 and 42(1)(b) of the Act criminalize non-compliance with the provision.
He noted that the federal government had been engaging stakeholders in the tripartite committee to determine a new national minimum wage and had not declared an end to negotiation.
The AGF further noted that the proposed strike is a breach of an order of the National Industrial Court and ongoing mediators’ settlement efforts over issues connected with the subject matter of the order.
“You are further invited to recall the pendency of the interim injunctive order granted on 5th June 2023 in suit no: NICN/ABJ/158/2023 — FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA & ANOR VV. NIGERIAN LABOUR CONGRESS & ANOR, which order restrained both Nigeria Labour Congress und Trade Union Congress from embarking on any industrial action or strike of any nature,” he said.
“While the government assures that it would continue to adopt a conciliatory approach to resolving matters pertaining to workers and citizens welfare in the spirit of collective bargaining, I would like to urge you to kindly reconsider the declaration of strike action and return to the ongoing negotiation meetings, which has been adjourned to a date to be communicated to parties.
“This would be a more civil and patriotic approach and will enable your Congress pursue its cause within the ambit of the law and avoid foisting avoidable hardships on the generality of Nigerians. which this proposed industrial action is bound to cause.”
