The Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR) has urged Organised Labour to initiate a nationwide strike in response to delays in implementing the minimum wage and recent increases in electricity tariffs. CDWR called upon the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) to mobilize for a 48-hour general strike and mass protests. They are demanding a minimum wage of at least N200,000 and the reversal of anti-poor policies such as privatization, deregulation, subsidy removal, and electricity tariff hikes.
CDWR emphasized the deadlock in negotiations between NLC, TUC, and the government and private sector, which has persisted for over three weeks. They recalled that an indefinite strike was briefly declared from June 3rd, 2024, but suspended on June 4th, 2024, due to government and private sector insistence on a N60,000 minimum wage.
The group pointed to recent mass protests in Kenya that compelled the government to withdraw a tax increment policy, suggesting similar actions could influence Nigerian policies. CDWR called for grassroots campaigns to build support for their demands, including automatic adjustments of the minimum wage to match inflation and the rising cost of living, thereby preventing prolonged negotiations and ensuring workers’ wages keep pace with economic realities. They emphasized the need for serious efforts to compel the government and capitalist elite to implement these changes without retracting concessions.
