Construction Workers Threaten 3-day Warning Strike over N35,000 Wage Award

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

Workers in the construction industry have asked their employers to pay them the N35,000 wage award approved for workers in the public sector or face shutdown of construction sites.

The workers, under the aegis of National Union of Civil Engineering Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW) and the Construction and Civil Engineering Senior Staff Association (CCESSA), said their employers have failed to negotiate the wage award meant to cushion the hardship brought about by the removal of fuel subsidy.

In a press conference addressed by the leadership of the two unions – National Presidents, NUCECFWW, Stephen Okoro and CCESSA, Ayodeji Adeyemo, the construction workers threatened a three-day warning strike, which may commence this week, if nothing is done by their employers.

According to the union, the workers may be pulled out for an indefinite strike if after the warning strike, the employers still fail do something about their demand.

The construction workers accused the Federation of Construction Industry, (FOCI), of deliberately frustrating negotiations on the wage award, even after the involvement of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.

The unions said they had initiated talks on a likely wage increase even before the new government removed subsidy on petrol in May, 2023.

The workers urged the Construction and Civil Engineering Employers Association of Nigeria to respect the sanctity and spirit of the wage award agreement between the government and organised labour.

The aggrieved workers said they were ready to embark on an indefinite national industrial action should those concerned fail to negotiate a wage award with their union after the three-day warning strike.

The workers said: “Three days warning strike for all construction workers in the industry if nothing is done in the first instance, indefinite action will commence.

“We are using this medium to inform the entire world that employers in the construction industry in Nigeria have refused the option of a dialogue but chose to adopt a confrontational approach.

“It is against this background that workers in the industry under the umbrella of NUCECFWW and CCESSA have resolved to take their destiny in their hands by calling on employers in the construction industry to respect the sanctity and spirit of the wage award agreement.

“ Any further delay, workers in the construction industry will be left with no other option than to proceed on industrial action any moment from now, to press home our demand.”