Labour Issues FG 7-Day Ultimatum to Conclude Action on Minimum Wage

The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union (TUC) has given the federal government till next week Wednesday to reconvene and conclude negotiation on consequential adjustment for the new minimum wage.

In a communiqué issued at the end of a meeting between NLC, TUC and the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC-Trade Union Side) in Abuja on Wednesday, the labour movement rejected the offer by the government for salary adjustment of 11 per cent for public workers on salary grade level 07 to 14 and 6.5 per cent consequential increase for public workers on grade level 15 to 17.

It said the government is not realistic and therefore not acceptable to the workers.

According to the unions’ leadership, "We demand the reconvening of the meeting of the committee negotiating the consequential adjustment with a view to concluding the process that started on May 28, 2019, within one week."

In the communiqué, organised labour tried to give credence to its demand for enhanced pay by reeling out economic indices which it said has watered-down workers’ pay package since the previous N18,000 minimum wage was implemented.

The communiqué was jointly signed by the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba; TUC President, Quadri Olaleye, and JNPSNC Chairman, Simon Anchaver, and Secretary, Slade Bashir Lawal.

Labour said since the last national minimum wage of N18, 000, workers have been forced to suffer huge inflation and astronomical hike in the prices of essential goods and services.

Furthermore, it said petroleum price has been hiked from N87 per litre to N145 per litre translating 60 per cent price increase. Also, it said electricity tariff has been increased by 60 percent while Value Added Tax (VAT) has recently increased from 5 percent to 7.2 per cent. The organised labour blamed the government negotiating team for its alleged insensitivity to the sacrifices being made by Nigerian workers, adding that such uncooperative attitude had led to the delay in reaching a deal on the implementation of the minimum wage.