As the November 6 deadline issued by organised labour which include the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) over the new minimum wage crisis approaches, the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) sitting in Abuja has waded into the matter, restraining organised labour from going ahead with its planned indefinite strike.
The Industrial court presided over by Justice Sanusi Kado issued the order from the bench on Friday as he delivered his ruling on an ex-parte application to restrain the NLC and TUC from embarking on the planned strike action scheduled to commence on November 6.
Justice Sanusi granted the ex-parte application pending the determination of a substantive suit filed by the Federal Government and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) against both unions.
The Judge also barred both unions as well as the Incorporated Trustees of the Nigerian Governors Forum (listed as the first, second, and third defendants) from taking steps capable of nullifying the subject of the dispute.
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The Judge said further that his decision to grant the ex-parte application argued by the Solicitor General of the Federation (SGF), Dayo Apata, was influenced by the devastating effect a nationwide strike will have on the country as well as the economy and the citizens.
Justice Sanusi consequently fixed the hearing of the main suit for November 8.
Organised labour is demanding N30,000 as a new national minimum wage for workers in the country, as against the existing N18,000.
Labour had however announced a strike for November 6 after negotiations and meetings between the government and the labour leaders ended in a deadlock.
While labour alludes that N30,000 was agreed in the tripartite committee, state governors said they can only pay N22, 500 as minimum wage because most states lacked the capacity to pay what is being demanded for by labour.
The governors who said some of their colleagues were still struggling to pay the existing N18,000, however, agreed to pay N22,500 which was vehemently rejected by labour leaders who insisted that there was no going back on their decision.