The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has berated the threat by Governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru, to sack striking workers.
Some state chapters of the NLC had embarked on strike on Monday to demand the implementation of the N70,000 new minimum wage signed into law months ago.
The decision followed the alleged persistent delays by some state governments to adopt and implement the 2024 National Minimum Wage Act.
The strike is expected to affect workers in Abia, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Oyo, Sokoto, Yobe, Zamfara, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
These states have reportedly failed to adopt the new wage structure, leaving workers frustrated.
In Ebonyi, Governor Nwifuru threatened to sack any worker observing the one week industrial action.
The Chairman of the NLC in the state, Egwu Oguguo, had accused Nwifuru of unilaterally pronouncing a wage award of N75,000 to grade levels 1 and 2, and N40,000 for Grade Levels 3-16, which according to him, was averse to the traditional procedures of implementing minimum wage and declared one week warning strike which began on Sunday against it.
But, the governor, while addressing journalists in his office in Abakaliki, said he implemented the new minimum wage in line with the National Minimum Wage Law passed by the National Assembly and assented to by President Bola Tinubu.
He warned that he would replace any worker who observed the strike within 72 hours.
“I am paying you what is supposed to be paid. And according to the agreement and the constitution, I am not owing you. If you didn’t go to work within 72 hours, I will replace you. And I have called the chairman of the civil service commission. I have directed all the commissioners to go to their offices. All the agencies and departments of government must be in their offices, and record the people that come to work.
“And that is the people I will pay through table payment, by the number of days you attend to your duty in your office. If you don’t want to come to work, you will forget about the state government.”
But in a statement issued by its president, Joe Ajaero, NLC described the governor’s threat as irresponsible and unhelpful.
Ajaero criticised him for disregarding lawful labour practices, noting that the strike action followed failed negotiations and prior notices to the state government.
He directed all its affiliates, including those in the private sector, to join the strike immediately. He also called on striking workers to resist intimidation and maintain their resolve until the governor fulfills his obligation to pay the minimum wage.
Ajaero noted that further directives would be issued in the coming hours, signaling the union’s readiness to escalate its actions if the state government remains unyielding.
“We are dismayed by the statement credited to the Ebonyi State Governor, Mr Nwifuru that except the striking workers in the state over non-payment of the National Minimum Wage resume work immediately they should consider themselves sacked.
“We recall that the strike action was preceded by failed conversations and notices to the Governor on the need to implement the 2024 national minimum wage since it was signed into law several months ago.
“The law has provisions for enforcement by workers. Beside this, a strike action is a lawful/legimitate tool in the hands of aggrieved workers.
“In light of this, we consider the threats by the Governor as irresponsible and unhelpful. What a reasonable Governor acting reasonably ought to have done was to invite the labour leaders in the state for dialogue for a speedy resolution of the facts in issue. But he thinks he is God.
“On our part, we want the world to know that Governor Nwifuru is the first to draw blood in a matter of which he is completely guilty.
“We also want the world to know that the right of response is available to us in pursuance of a just cause. Accordingly, the National Secretariat of the Congress has directed all the affiliates including those in the private sector to immediately join in the strike action. It similarly urged the workers already on strike to not yield to the threats of the Governor. They are to sustain the momentum until the governor sees the need to not only behave properly but pay the minimum wage in compliance with the Law.
“In the coming hours, further directives will be given as we deem fit,” the statement read.
