Nationwide strike! The country’s ports are closed indefinitely…
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There has been recent news in Nigeria that a massive workers’ strike is currently taking place in the country. Workers’ representatives, particularly the NLC (Nigeria Labor Congress) and TUC (Trade Union Congress), are in conflict with federal authorities over the amount of the upcoming minimum wage.
Port workers also joined the strike. Following directives from the Nigeria Labor Congress, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has closed seaports across the country indefinitely.
John Kennedy Ikemefuna, head of media for the Nigeria Maritime Union, said in a statement: “The Nigeria Maritime Union has directed its operations at all ports, terminals, terminals, oil and gas platforms across the country to Members effectively ensured the full implementation of the strike.”
The strike affected Lagos, Port Harcourt, Warri, Onne and Calabar, Nigerian newspaper Vanguard reported.The exact timing for negotiations and resumption of operations is currently unclear.
Even if port workers continue to work, they may not have enough power to do their jobs. The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) says striking workers from the National Labor Congress and Trade Union Congress have cut off power supply to tens of millions of people.
TCN said union members entered the power system control room and forcibly evicted operators, resulting in some employees being injured and beaten (the union disputed this account and said TCN used military members to break the strike).
According to Reuters, on June 3, local time, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) said that union members dispersed operators from the country’s power control room. Nigerian airline Ibom Air said it would suspend all flights until further notice due to the strike.
Another airline, United Nigeria Airlines, said that all airports in Nigeria have been closed and all flights are unavailable.
It is reported that,Nigerian unions demand national minimum wage increase 16 times, increasing from the current per month to 0 per month while lowering electricity bills. The Nigerian government has proposed doubling the monthly minimum wage to , but union leadership is not satisfied.
National Labor Council spokesman Benson Uppa said the government's economic policies had raised the cost of living, triggering a crisis for ordinary workers. “We don’t know who the beneficiaries of these policies are because we workers are dying and manufacturers are dying.”
As the most populous country in Africa, Nigeria is currently facing many challenges.
Nigeria's currency lost half its value last year after the country's new government removed controls on the value of the currency. That means Africa's most populous country now has to spend twice as much to buy much-needed imported goods.
Disruptions to Nigeria’s agricultural sector have also pushed up prices of staple foods. The government's order to stop fuel subsidies has also led to an increase in energy retail costs.
Inflation has reached 33.69%, the highest in nearly three decades, according to the country's data office. High inflation has eroded the purchasing power of ordinary workers, prompting unions to demand more support. "We are crying because government policies are driving us into poverty," the two unions said in a joint statement on Monday.
