Workers Threaten Three-Day Nationwide Strike Over Fuel Price, Wage Award

Public sector workers under the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council JNPSNC have threatened to embark on a three-day nationwide warning strike from October 2 if the Federal Government fails to address their demands over rising living costs.

The council said its September 30 deadline for the government to act remained in force, warning that failure to respond would trigger the planned industrial action.

In a statement, JNPSNC National Secretary, Mr Gbenga Olowoyo, said the council was demanding an immediate reduction of the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit PMS to N500 per litre.

The workers also demanded the immediate approval of a wage award to cushion the impact of rising living costs on workers, their dependants and other vulnerable Nigerians.

The council further called for the immediate constitution of a tripartite committee to begin negotiations for a new national minimum wage of not less than N500,000 from 2027.

It said the committee should be constituted early enough to prevent administrative delays that could affect the implementation of a new wage structure after negotiations and legislative approval.

The JNPSNC said it had written to President Bola Tinubu on September 21, outlining its demands, but expressed concern that no visible action had been taken.

The council proposed that the government could reduce petrol prices by providing an intervention fund to address landing costs and supporting oil and gas operators.

It also called for the sale of crude oil to the Dangote Refinery and modular refinery operators at appropriate terms to encourage domestic refining and help reduce the cost of petroleum products.

The council comprises eight public sector unions, including the Nigeria Civil Service Union, Medical and Health Workers Union, Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria and National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives.

Others are the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Employees, Nigeria Union of Public Service, Reportorial, Secretarial, Data Processors and Allied Workers, National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Products Workers and National Union of Agriculture and Allied Employees.

The workers said President Tinubu’s Independence Day address should address their concerns, warning that failure to act by September 30 would leave them with no option but to commence the three-day warning strike from Friday, October 2.