The ongoing strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress in the Federal Capital Territory has now reached its 11th day. The main point of contention between the labour unions and Area Council Chairmen is the timeline for implementing the N70,000 minimum wage. Discussions have hit a standstill as the Chairmen proposed a January 2025 start date, which the unions rejected, insisting on a December 2024 commencement.
The unions argue that delaying implementation until January would result in five months of arrears, whereas starting in December would reduce it to four months. This issue remains the core of the deadlock in negotiations.
Furthermore, other grievances highlighted by the unions include the absence of specific allowances for local government workers compared to FCTA staff, disparities in pay, and delays in the implementation of the 25% CONHESS and CONMESS allowances and wage awards.
The FCT’s unique status was also emphasized, with the FCT Minister said to act as a proxy for President Bola Tinubu, who effectively serves as the FCT’s Governor. This distinction is cited as a reason why local government workers in the FCT should receive comparable benefits.
The strike is set to continue until the NLC provides further directives or an agreement is reached. Efforts to obtain comments from the FCT Council Chairman of the NLC were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.