The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has raised a distress signal as soldiers have surrounded the venue of its meeting with the federal government to negotiate a new minimum wage.
News About Nigeria reports that the meeting, which was scheduled to take place at the premises of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), may raise fears as soldiers have surrounded the venues
In a post on X on the official page of the NLC, the NLC wrote, “Soldiers are presently surrounding the venue of the meeting between Labour and Government at the premises of the SGF.”
“Any Attempt to Intimidate, Provoke or Blackmail Our Leaders at the Negotiation table, Would be resisted and Strike action would further be prolonged .”
The labour union sees this move as a deliberate attempt to intimidate and strong-arm its leaders into accepting a minimum wage that is favourable to the government.
The NLC has been negotiating with the government for months to secure a new minimum wage for Nigerian workers.
The union has been demanding a wage of N615,500, while the government has offered N60,000.
The negotiations have been deadlocked, leading to a nationwide strike that has paralysed economic activities in the country.
The deployment of soldiers to the negotiation venue has heightened tensions and raised fears of a possible crackdown on labour leaders.
The NLC had earlier vowed to resist any attempt to intimidate its members and has called on its affiliates to remain calm but vigilant.
This development has sparked outrage among Nigerians, who see it as a violation of the rights of labour leaders to negotiate freely.
News About Nigeria will update this report as the situation unfolds.
