The Lagos State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), alongside workers, disrupted operations at Lagos Television, Eko FM/Radio Lagos, and Lagos Traffic Radio on Monday in protest against the non-implementation of the ₦85,000 minimum wage by the stations’ management.
The protest, Naijaonpoint learnt was organized in collaboration with members of the Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU), also demanded that workers be placed on the Oracle payroll system.
Weeks prior, workers had issued warnings to the management of the three broadcast stations, stating their intent to down tools if the government-mandated minimum wage was not implemented.
Early Monday morning, the workers blocked entry and exit points to the Agidingbi complex, holding placards with messages such as “Give us Oracle and take the revenue generated,” “Oracle is the answer,” and “Pay us Minimum Wage.”
The protest was led by Comrade Chairperson of the Lagos State NLC, Funmi Sessi.
Addressing journalists, Sessi assured that the demonstration would remain peaceful, stating, “We started peacefully, and we are going to end it peacefully. Nobody is going to push us through the wall. I assure everybody that we shall be peaceful because we are Lagosians.”
Sessi criticized the injustice faced by workers at the stations, who, despite their efforts, are yet to receive the approved minimum wage.
She explained, “We are here this morning you can see the workers of government in communication departments that is LTV, Eko FM, and Traffic Radio, all here to show their displeasure against the injustice that has been meted out to them, This is the situation they do there work to the best of their abilities and now at the receiving end by being shortchanged. And not receiving the new Minimum wage as being approved and agreed upon by the law set by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“This is an injustice to the set of workers. The management has been given the mandate to pay the minimum wage has been announced by the Lagos State Government. They are Lagos State workers.
“Since the government has commenced implementation of the ₦85,000 minimum wage since November they have never collected the minimum wage. The arrears of the three months and the 13th month they have not been enjoying the benefits. So, why is this disparity for this set of workers even in the face of this hardship?”
She added that the union had made several attempts to resolve the issue amicably. “The leadership of their union had engaged the management previously. They gave a 21-day notice to dialogue. After several engagements with management, they gave 14 days and 7 days, and they followed due process, yet there was no resolution. Now when they saw that the workers were resolute to fight for their rights and now telling them to shield their swords.”
While acknowledging the Lagos State Governor’s empathy towards workers, Sessi called on him to intervene directly. “Though, the governor has been doing a lot and showing empathy to workers. We are hereby appealing to him to prevail on the management to do the needful and avoid unnecessary disruption to operations in the interest of the majority. We will sustain this struggle until the government listens and takes appropriate action on these demands.”