Strike action: Resume duty, Onakpasa urges Nigerian workers
…says Tinubu means well, will arrive at reasonable living wage
A lawyer and chieftain of the APC, Barrister Jesutega Onokpasa has appeal to both leaderships of the NLC and TUC led by Joe Ajaero and Festus Osifo to sheathe their swords and resume duties in order to save the nation from further challenges.
In a podcast addressed to Nigerian workers, Onakpasa the two union leaders don’t understand trade unionism.
He said: It is not about strike; it is about protecting worker’s rights, and strike action is the very last resort.
“The interesting thing about going on strike is that it is actually regulated by law.
“You don’t embark on an illegal strike action”, he stated.
Asking if this strike is about minimum wage, Onakpasa queried the high figures been bandied about by the workers’ unions.
He asked: Minimum wage of how much? N400,000, N500,000, N600,000? Where is government going to see such money to pay?
He also called out Joe Ajaero asking whether the NLC President does not know maths.
“Is the NLC so bereft of intellect or there is nobody there that can just crunch numbers and know that such amounts are utterly absurd?
“What is President Tinubu supposed to do? Sack 90 per cent of workers so that he can pay 10 per cent N600,000 a month?
“What are the governors supposed to do?
“Sack 90 per cent of their workers so that they can pay such absurd amounts?
Onakpasa further argued that if President Tinubu agrees to pay N400,000, N500,000 or N600,000 a month as minimum wage, it means domestic workers, drivers, house girls, gardeners and house keepers, would be paid that amount.
“How much is Joe Ajaero paying his domestic workers?
“Should we go and audit him? Is he even paying them minimum wage that is in existence now?
“Let’s get serious for God’s sake” he retorted.
He however express his belief that Nigerian workers deserve a better deal, which President Tinubu is dedicated to.
“This whole idea of minimum wage is not even the idea of labour unions, it is President Tinubu’s idea.
“Please, elections are over, we have a President and that’s the President God has given us.
“It is President Tinubu, he is your president, he is my president, he is our president, he is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Onakpasa also advised the union leaders on how to engage Tinubu.
“Now, if we are going to get a better deal for Nigerian workers, it is through negotiation and you obviously do not know how to negotiate.
“Joe Ajaero and Festus Osifo don’t know how to negotiate.
“They have no negotiating skills. What is trade unionism, let’s even ask both gentlemen.
“How many workers have you been able to unionise since you got to the helms of affairs in labour union? Have you been able to unionise, let’s say, house keepers, petrol attendants, private drivers?
“I would like you to unionise my driver, my house keeper, my gardener, that’s trade unionism if you don’t know.
“These are people who drive the kind of cars I drive, can their salary afford that car?
“I know how I bought my car and I earned money to buy it.
“What is Ajaero’s salary, what is Osifo’s salary?
Is it not Nigerians’ money that he used to buy the car?
We need to take care of our workers and the way to take care of our workers is to negotiate a living wage but it also has to be a payable wage.
“But, when you talk like an ‘agbero’, Where is N600,000 going to come from?
“Should we bring back Emefiele to be printing money like a troubled sailor?
Unionism is serious matter, it is not ‘agberoism.’
“So, let us come back to that negotiating table.
“You can’t be talking of going on strike. Going on strike over what?
“People are hungry, which was not caused by Bola Tinubu at all.
“All these things they piled up and nothing that takes Bola Tinubu time more than how to reduce inflation.
“We already have a problem of hunger and you ask the people not to go to work.
“Should die of starvation? People need to work, they earn daily wage.
“A bank opens, a shopping complex opens, one person goes there to sell ‘mama put’ by the side, that’s how she feeds her family, that’s how she educates her children, that’s how she pays hospital bills, that’s how she sends them to university.
“Then, tomorrow, one of them becomes a Governor, a Senator, and a President.
“You said everybody should not work? Is there something wrong?
He also alleged that the labour leaders are driving expensive cars, saying that one of them drives a car that is worth over 200 million naira
” And you say you are fighting for Nigerian workers? Come and negotiate and stop breaking the law. It is an illegal strike, you have not exhausted all options.
“Now, to my dear Nigerian workers, don’t listen to these people. They don’t give a thought about you.
“They don’t feel what you feel. They are just using you for their own purposes. All of them have ambition.
“One wants to be governor of this state, other one wants to be governor of this state.
That’s all they are doing.
“Go to work and earn money to put food on the table of your family, please.
“If you strike for one year, Joe Ajaero, Festus Osifo, they will still feed their families and you will not be able to feed your families.
Go and work; I can assure you that your president has a good heart.
“President Tinubu means well. Things take time to take shape.
Tell them to go back to the negotiating table.
“Go to work, hustle and when you are going home, branch at the supermarket and buy something for your adorable children.
Will he pay his house girl and gardener N600,000?
How much is he paying the ones working in his house now?
Go and find out.
Bola Tinubu will arrive at a living wage, at a reasonable wage, at a payable wage because you have to face reality.
How much do we bring in as revenue in the country?
How much do we then dispense as emolument, as salaries?
Bola Tinubu means well, trust your President, invest in him with support, with goodwill.
He will work for you.
He is a good man. God bless Nigerian workers.
God bless Nigerians.
Please, go to work; don’t mind these ridiculous people.
