The Kaduna state chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has announced the suspension of its one-week warning strike for seven days to allow further negotiations with the state government.
The decision was reached after a State Executive Council (SEC) meeting late Monday night, following discussions with government representatives.
Kaduna state chairman of NLC, Comrade Ayuba Magaji Suleiman, confirmed the suspension, stating that the union was giving the government time to address lingering issues related to the implementation of the new minimum wage.
“We resolved, through a motion, to suspend the strike for another seven days to give the government space to revisit the table,” Suleiman said.
The strike was triggered by the government’s attempt to implement a minimum wage using a disputed template that created inequalities among workers.
“They attempted paying a minimum wage with a different template, exempting some workers and paying others less, which led to our strike action,” Suleiman explained.
Activities across Kaduna state ministries and agencies were brought to a halt Monday as the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) began a warning strike.
The action was in protest against the government’s failure to implement the consequential adjustments agreed upon with the new minimum wage.
Despite the Kaduna state government’s claim that it had complied with the minimum wage law by paying a minimum gross salary of N72,000, the organised labour insisted that the agreed adjustments had not been honoured.
Suleiman said, “The National Monitoring Committee approved the suspension, acknowledging the tangible progress made. The committee gave us the go-ahead since there was a concrete arrangement at hand.”
In a message to workers, Suleiman expressed appreciation for their solidarity and urged them to resume work.
“We particularly thank Kaduna state workers for their support. They complied fully with the strike, and I want to assure them that their interests remain our priority,” he said.
He however encouraged workers to return to work on Wednesday, while assuring them that the NLC would continue to monitor the situation closely.
