₦airaland Forum

Nigerian workers have threatened a nationwide strike if the Federal Government fails to address their grievances at a meeting scheduled for Tuesday, October 27.

The warning followed a meeting between government representatives and organised labour in Abuja on Thursday, which ended without a resolution after key officials responsible for approving and implementing the demands were absent.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and their affiliates are preparing to mobilise workers across the states, local government areas and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for possible industrial action.

In a progress report obtained by LEADERSHIP on Friday, organised labour insisted that senior government officials with the authority to make binding decisions must attend the next meeting.

The report listed the Minister of Finance, the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Director-General of the Budget Office and the Chairman of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission among those expected to attend.

The meeting is scheduled to hold at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in Abuja at noon.

The threat follows the expiration on October 22 of a two-week ultimatum issued by the NLC on October 9. With no breakthrough recorded, labour has given the government until October 27 to make meaningful progress on its demands.

Here are six key demands workers want the Federal Government to address:


1. Reduction In Petrol Prices

Organised labour is demanding measures to reduce petrol prices nationwide to the levels that prevailed when the current national minimum wage of N70,000 was signed into law in 2024.

Labour argues that lower fuel prices would help ease the cost-of-living burden on workers.


2. Renegotiation Of The National Minimum Wage

The unions want the government to commence negotiations for a new national minimum wage.

They are also seeking steps towards establishing a tripartite negotiating committee involving the government, employers and organised labour.


3. Implementation Of Tax Relief Measures

Workers are demanding the implementation of previously agreed tax relief measures to reduce their financial burden.

The unions want the government to fulfil its commitments on tax-related relief for workers.


4. Payment Of Outstanding Wage Awards

Organised labour is asking the government to settle outstanding wage awards and related entitlements owed to workers.

The unions consider the payments an important part of efforts to address workers’ economic challenges.


5. Implementation Of The JOHESU Agreement

Labour is demanding the implementation of the terms of settlement reached with the Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Healthcare Professionals (JOHESU) on February 5, 2026.

The demand forms part of the outstanding issues the unions want resolved.


6. Settlement Of Outstanding Public Sector Allowances

The Joint Public Sector Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) is seeking the resolution of outstanding issues affecting public sector workers, including peculiar allowances and hazard allowances.

The unions want the government to address these matters as part of a broader settlement of the labour dispute.

dre11:
https://leadership.ng/full-list-6-demands-nlc-wants-fg-to-address-as-workers-threaten-nationwide-action/

erniok:
#1 point seems u reasonable with the current events unless they want subsidy back. They also want to renegotiate m8nimum wage after all these are done? Maybe, they want to go back to the days states had backlogs of salaries they were not paying.

erniok:
#1 point seems u reasonable with the current events unless they want subsidy back. They also want to renegotiate m8nimum wage after all these are done? Maybe, they want to go back to the days states had backlogs of salaries they were not paying.

Kingpele:
The problem those around tinubu created for him since may29 2023 till date is so massive...advising tinubu to remove subsidy and float the naira was a terrible choice...u can't float your currency if you don't have massive industries that could absolve the shock for the economy...we are import dependent economy for now