On behalf of organised labour, the communique was signed by NLC President Ayuba Wabba; TUC President Quadri Olaleye; Secretary-General NLC, Emmanuel Ugboaja; Secretary-General TUC Musa Lawal Ozigi; NUPENG President Williams Akporeha; PENGASSAN President Festus Osifo; President NUEE Martin Uzoegwu and President, SSAEAC Chris N. Okonkwo.

According to the labour leaders, they considered the impact of COVID-19 before agreeing to shelve the industrial action.

Part of the communique read, “Recognising the public outcry and protest over the recent Federal Government twin policies on Electricity Tariff Reform and full implementation of deregulation of the downstream sector of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry resulting in the planned nationwide industrial action by Organised Labour; Bearing in mind the spiral and negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic on world economy, Further bearing in mind that due to impact of COVID-19 pandemic the world is undergoing socio-economic transition which has affected price stability, sustainability of enterprises, employment, and other socio-economic indices; Acknowledging that the spiral and negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy has given rise to the need for a new socio-economic order; Recognising the need to sustain enterprises for retention and creation of jobs as well as sustainable growth and development; Acknowledging the need for social concertation between the Federal Government and workers’ representatives, namely the two Labour Centres – The NLC and TUC; To aid in the dialogue and communication, the Federal Government side made presentations to show the state of economy and the drive behind the recent cost–reflective Electricity Tariff adjustments and deregulation of the downstream sector of the Petroleum Industry; Bipartite meeting to address and resolve the issues in dispute between the Federal Government and Labour Centres were held on September 15, 24, and 27, 2020, After exhaustive deliberations on the issues raised by Labour Centres, the Federal Government stated that it has fashioned out palliatives that would ameliorate the sufferings that Nigerian workers may experience as a result of the cost-reflective Electricity Tariff adjustments and deregulation of the downstream sector of the Petroleum Industry. The palliatives will be in the areas of transport, power, housing, agriculture and humanitarian support. After thorough debates and negotiations on various issues raised by all parties, resolutions were reached and mutually adopted.”

The union gave the ultimatum in a communiqué signed by the President, TUC, Quadri Olaleye and the Secretary-General, TUC, Musa Lawal issued at the end of its National Executive Council meeting in Lagos on Thursday.

It read in part, “The congress advises all state governments that have not complied with the implementation and immediate payment of the N30, 000 new national minimum wage to commence negotiations and implementation on or before 31st January 2020.

“Otherwise the state governments should be responsible for the consequences of their failure. State councils have been directed to commence mobilisation of their members immediately.”

Meanwhile, the Organised labour on Monday,  said it would meet to review the minimum wage negotiations between states and workers across Nigeria.

Ekiti, Cross River, Benue, Gombe, Osun, Sokoto, Oyo, Niger, Ogun, Enugu, Bayelsa, Rivers, Kwara, Taraba and Anambra states have reportedly not agreed on consequential adjustments of salaries.

While Lagos, Kaduna, Bauchi, Kastina and Borno states had agreed to pay the new minimum wage, other states started negotiations few days to the end of the December 31, 2019 deadline.

Olaleye, while commenting on the current status of the minimum wage, noted that six states had signed to commence the implementation, adding that 15 states were negotiating and some would soon conclude negotiations.

He noted that if the states failed to pay the minimum wage, they were disobeying a directive from the President Muhammadu Buhari.

Reminded that labour had earlier given the states a December 31 deadline to comply with the minimum wage payment, Olaleye argued that the December 31 ultimatum did not emanate from the TUC.