It is no longer news that negotiations between Organized labour and the tripartite committee on the issue of a rise in the minimum wage of Nigerian workers was deadlocked thereby leaving labour with no choice than to commence a 7 Day warning strike midnight Wednesday 26th September 2018. It is cogent to state here that the issue of a review of the minimum wage is a constitutional issue as it is required by law that the Nigerian worker get a pay rise after every 5 years hence it is important to state here and now that Labour is not in any way being inconsiderate and overly demanding.

The Nigerian worker is one of the lowest paid in the world. Watching tvcnews this morning, I was caught aback and totally infuriated after seeing the minimum wage of other countries as against what their respective law makers earn. A Nigerian Lawmaker earns a whopping 65,000 USD, the highest in the world if you must know, while the Nigerian civil servant takes home a meagre 38 USD as minimum wage.

Since Labour announced commencement of the 7 Day warning strike, compliance by workers mostly in government agencies and parastatals has been near 100%. Private firms whose workers are unionized have equally identified with Organized labour by joining in the struggle to better the lot of the average Nigerian worker in the spirit of "an injury to one, an injury to all". The question is, do these private workers have the right to join in the strike? The answer is an emphatic YES.

Apart from the ultimate fact that your right and freedom of association is enshrined in the law of the land, the Nigerian labour law expressly states also that a worker whether in the civil service or in the private sector reserves the right to belong to any union/association that he so desires and SHALL not be victimized on the basis of this decision/action. It is however unfortunate to note that most CEO's and employers of labour in the private sector have resorted to intimidation, harassment and victimization of workers who decide to join a union.

We have had cases of Companies who wave two separate letters in the face of employees ( one, a termination letter and second, a letter the worker signs to denouncing membership of a union he/she had hitherto joined). This is not different from the employer pointing a gun to a mans' head while asking him to give away his inheritance. This new trend by employers of labour must be challenged and rebuffed by all means possible. It is common knowledge that the reason why these employers of labour wouldn't want their workers to join unions is because they are not ready to stop cheating these workers. Salaries are not paid, allowances accrue to up-to 4years, pensions are not remitted to the PFA's and the worker is just expected to continue to work with the hope that tommorow will be better.

Of note is the memo issued by the management of Intels Nigeria Limited (An Oil and gas logistics firm) in Portharcourt Rivers state restraining their workers from joining in the ongoing strike and stating categorically that whichever worker decides to flaunt this directive will live with the attendant consequences. First of, the company is an oil and gas logistics provider with running contracts with clients like Chevron Nigeria. The company however describes its services as being in the transport sector. This is a deliberate attempt to shy away from paying members of staff salaries commensurate with that of the oil and gas sector. Workers who do night shifts recently discovered that they ought to be entitled to bonuses but of course, someone had been sitting on it for years.

The case of Intels Nigeria Limited is just one out of many other private employers who are determined to silent the Nigerian worker and ensure that they live in penury even with after putting in years of active service.

We call on the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), trade Union Congress (TUC), the National Assembly and all well meaning Nigerians to wade into these matters and ensure that the right of the Nigerian worker be it in the Public or Private sector is not trampled upon.