National Telescope national telescope newspaper
The Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR) has called on Organised Labour to mobilise for a nationwide strike concerning the minimum wage and recent electricity tariff increases.
In a statement, the group’s National Publicity Secretary, Chinedu Bosah, urged the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) to declare a 48-hour general strike and mass protest.
The goal is to demand a minimum wage of at least N200,000 and a reversal of what they describe as anti-poor policies.
The group highlighted that negotiations between Organised Labour and the government/private sector have been stalled for over three weeks.
The government and private sector insist on a minimum wage of N60,000, which the CDWR finds inadequate.
The CDWR believes that a mass protest and strike could compel the government to reconsider its stance. They cited Kenya’s example, where similar protests led to the withdrawal of an IMF/World Bank-inspired tax increase policy.
The CDWR is urging trade unionists and activists to organise a grassroots campaign to build support for this cause and ensure that trade union leaders fulfill their responsibilities.
They also demanded that the minimum wage be automatically adjusted to keep pace with inflation and the rising cost of living.
The CDWR argues that a strike could expedite the negotiation process and prevent wages from lagging behind inflation and the poverty line.
