𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐦 𝐰𝐚𝐠𝐞: 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 -𝐍𝐋𝐂

The Nigeria Labour Congress has has disclosed that the ongoing nationwide strike will continue despite the agreement signed with the Federal Government at Monday’s meeting.

The congress, in a post on X, on Tuesday said the industrial action which has grounded the nation’s economy will continue until Tuesday’s meeting of organs of the union where all resolutions of Monday’s meeting are expected to be reviewed.

“Until we hear from our organs at our meeting scheduled for today, June 4, we are still on strike,” the post read

The Nigerian economy was partially paralysed on Monday following the nationwide strike embarked upon by the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress.

The nation’s power sector, banks, ports, hospitals, schools, government ministries, departments and agencies were all shut down following the labour unions’ strike.

Reports earlier confirmed that there was no trace of power generation on the national grid as of 8am on Monday. The distribution companies received no power allocation, except the Abuja disco which had only 10 megawatts later in the day.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria said its workers on duty were beaten and wounded by union leaders who stormed its offices to send them out.

TCN spokesperson, Ndidi Mbah, said, “At about 1:15 am this (Monday) morning, the Benin Transmission Operator under the Independent System Operations unit of TCN reported that all operators were driven away from the control room and that staff that resisted were beaten while some were wounded in the course of forcing them out of the control room and without any form of control or supervision, the Benin Area Control Centre was brought to zero.

“Other transmission substations that were shut down, by the Labour Union include the Ganmo, Benin, Ayede, Olorunsogo, Akangba and Osogbo Transmission Substations. Some transmission lines were equally opened due to the ongoing activities of the labour union.”

confirmed that there was no trace of power generation on the national grid as of 8am on Monday. The distribution companies received no power allocation, except the Abuja disco which had only 10 megawatts later in the day.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria said its workers on duty were beaten and wounded by union leaders who stormed its offices to send them out.

TCN spokesperson, Ndidi Mbah, said, “At about 1:15 am this (Monday) morning, the Benin Transmission Operator under the Independent System Operations unit of TCN reported that all operators were driven away from the control room and that staff that resisted were beaten while some were wounded in the course of forcing them out of the control room and without any form of control or supervision, the Benin Area Control Centre was brought to zero.

“Other transmission substations that were shut down, by the Labour Union include the Ganmo, Benin, Ayede, Olorunsogo, Akangba and Osogbo Transmission Substations. Some transmission lines were equally opened due to the ongoing activities of the labour union.”

Airlines suspend operations

Aviation unions at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos brought all activities to a halt on Monday.

The striking aviation unions include the National Union of Air Transport Employees, the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers.

The unions had notified Nigerian local airports that they would be shut by 00:00hrs on Monday, June 3rd, 2024 while the closure of the international airports commences on Tuesday, June 4th, 2024.

Passengers who had hitherto planned to board flights to different destinations on Monday were barred from boarding as aviation unions locked the entrance gate to the domestic terminal of the Lagos airport.

Our correspondents, who monitored the union’s activities, observed that at 7:10 am, workers had strategically positioned themselves, shutting various gates within the airport.

Entrances of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria were also seen to be under lock and key with police presence.

Many of the travellers were told to return home, pending when the organised labour and the Federal Government would reach a truce on the figure for minimum wage.

However, activities were not disrupted at the international wing of the airport as aviation unions gave operating airlines another 24 hours to conclude their flights.

The unions in their numbers were seen in different strategic locations with various flags and banners to press home their demands.

Also, airlines have begun to suspend their operations.

On its part, Ibom Air through its X handle account announced the suspension of its flight operations until further notice.

The airline noted that it was unable to dispatch any of its scheduled flights to their various destinations because of the disruption by the workers.

Also, Arik Air, in its travel advisory to its customers, said affected stranded customers have an option of rebooking or rescheduling the flights at no additional cost.

The airline said, “Customers whose flights may have been affected by the NLC action will have the option of rebooking/rescheduling the flights at no additional cost.

Speaking with journalists, the General Secretary, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Francis Akinjole, emphasised that activities at the international wing would be grounded on Tuesday.

He had earlier told passengers to return to their various homes because there was no sign that the strike could be called off soon.

He added that the workers were left with no other option than to grand the airport, adding that until the government accedes to their demand, there will be no air transportation in the country.

“We just do not have any choice but to embark on what we are doing and it is clear. If the Federal Government signs the new minimum wage today, we will leave; but if they do not, we are starting here today as the commencement day.

“Tomorrow, as we said in our notice to the general public, we are going to ground activities at the international wing.

“The only reason why we are not starting the international wing today, is because we are aware that some flights were already airborne, so we are not as insensitive as some people might want to think,” he said.

Akinjole further said the union was prepared for the length of time the strike would last, but called on the Federal Government to consider the yearnings of Nigerians.

“We are prepared to go the whole length. Government should pay the Minimum Living Wage, that is what they should do,” he noted.

The National Chairman of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency branch of the Association of Nigeria Airport Professionals, Patrick Evuarhehe, also said that no skeletal activities were permitted.

Evuarhehe stated that it was a fight for all and not of selfish interests because ‘an injury to one, is an injury to all’.

Meanwhile, NUATE has said that all international flights will be put on hold starting from Tuesday, pending when the federal government addresses their demands concerning a minimum wage increase. This move follows the union’s shutdown of local flights.

Deputy National President of NUATE, Uzor Oluchi, disclosed this to reporters during an interview at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Monday.

Oluchi stated his position saying, “We are working with the directive of Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress. Our headquarters is in Lagos, and we are getting directives from them. This is not only about Aviation, the prices of commodities today are going high.

“Today, we allowed the international flights to move because people have already booked, and some international flights take about 12-13 hours to reach Nigeria. So, we have to let them land. But after today, if the federal government does not do anything, they will join, and we will shut down all the international flights like we did for local flights.”

President of the Association of Foreign Airlines and Representative in Nigeria, Kingsley Nwokoma, while reacting, hoped that the Federal Government and Labour would resolve the matter amicably.