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Wednesday, February 19, 2025
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Lagos broadcasting staff begin 3-day strike over unpaid minimum wage

By Chidera Oma

Activities inside the Lagos State broadcasting premises have been interrupted after staff of the radio and television stations shelved work to protest over the government decision to pay the workers N80,000 approved minimum wage.

The aggrieved staff involved in the three-day warning strike over the unpaid minimum wage were from the Lagos Television (LTV), Radio Lagos, Eko FM and Traffic FM.

Aside from demanding the implementation of the minimum wage, the agitated staff on Monday also requested to be included in the state’s Oracle Database system.

The strike, organized by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union (RATTAWU), aims to press the government to address the workers’ long-standing demands.

While asking that the Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led administration should heed their needs, members were seen with placards bearing inscriptions such as “Non-implementation of minimum wage is anti-labor”, “Save us from career stagnation”, and “Give us oracle and take the revenue generated”.

The protest took a dramatic turn when the demonstrators noticed that some radio stations, were still operational despite warnings to shut down.

One of the stations that defied the strike order was Radio Lagos/ Eko FM, whose General Manager, Jide Lawal, refused to join the strike in solidarity with other members.

However, members of the unions along with staffs of striking stations, stormed the Radio Lagos/ Eko FM building, urging Lawal to join forces with the striking workers.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Lagos State NUJ Chapel, Leye Ajayi, delivered a stern address, declaring the unions’ frustration.

“This is just a warning strike. After three days, it will escalate into an indefinite strike action. We are out of patience. We must be integrated into the Oracle system, and the minimum wage must be paid’.

Ajayi criticized the government’s repeated delays, describing them as nothing more than excuses cloaked in bureaucracy.
“They keep cajoling us with stories about presenting papers at executive meetings. Enough is enough!”

Meanwhile, the National Labour Congress Lagos Chapter Chairman, Funmi Sessi, while addressing the press emphasized that the government had been given a 21-day notice by the management of the protesting stations to engage in a proper dialogue, but unfortunately, the talks seemed to have broken down, prompting the members to take action.

She noted that the situation highlights the determination of the workers to have their voices heard and their demands met.

“They are not receiving the new minimum wage as approved and agreed by the law set by the Federal government, this is an injustice to these people. Their management has given the mandate to pay them the wage as announced by the Lagos state government to Lagos workers, N85,000, but since the government commenced the wage in November, they have never implemented the minimum wage, and not only that, the arrears of the 3 months and the 13 months salary,” Sessi said.

Stressing the need for due process, the NLC chairman acknowledged the governor’s efforts toward the well-being of citizens but specifically charged Sanwo-Olu to prioritize and ensure the implementation of the new wage structure for staff of the LTV and other state-owned radio stations.

“We don’t have any face-off with Mr. governor, because he has been maintaining a cordial relationship with the workers, but this set of workers, the LTV, traffic radio, and the rest have been denied the benefits of the wage. The prices of goods and services have escalated, what is good for other workers is good for them too. We are happy with our governor, but the management of these people should be held accountable”

According to Sessi, the unions are expecting an invitation for the resolution of this pressing issue, saying, based on information that we heard, this issue will be discussed at the Executive meeting today.

This demonstration came days after the Guild Press reported that the government cautioned theses station to shelve the move and allow ongoing dialogue to yield success.

The fact that the staff has gone ahead with the demonstration despite the government’s caution highlights the deep-seated frustration and discontent among the staff over the non-implementation of the minimum wage, and it remains to be seen how the government will respond to the demonstration and staff’s demands.

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