The Campaign for Democratic and Workers' Rights (CDWR) has called on Organized Labour to launch a nationwide strike to address the minimum wage issue and the recent electricity tariff hike. They urged the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) to mobilize for a 48-hour general strike and mass protest, demanding a minimum wage of at least N200,000 and the reversal of anti-poor policies like privatization, deregulation, and subsidy removal.
CDWR's National Publicity Secretary, Chinedu Bosah, highlighted the deadlock in negotiations between NLC, TUC, the government, and the private sector over the new minimum wage, which led to a suspended strike in early June 2024. The group pointed to the successful protests in Kenya as an example, suggesting Nigerian workers and youth could force the government to reverse various economic policies.
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The CDWR emphasized the need for NLC and TUC to mobilize widely for the proposed strike and protest, arguing that past mobilization efforts have been inadequate. They also called for grassroots campaigns to build support and ensure union leaders take their responsibilities seriously.
Among the CDWR's demands is the automatic adjustment of the minimum wage in line with inflation and the rising cost of living, to avoid protracted negotiations and prevent wages from falling behind economic realities. They acknowledged that achieving this would require a significant struggle against the capitalist elite.
