Labour sets to meet FG over Minimum Wage consequential adjustments
…says it makes nonsense of the new wage
By Idun Maximus
The Organised Labour has given indications of a plan to interface with the Federal Government and other stakeholders to readdress the issues with the consequential adjustment of the new minimum wage.
The plan emerged at the ongoing International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva, Switzerland.
Addressing journalists at the sidelines of the 113 ILC, both the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) at the joint briefing, said workers are not enjoying the benefits of the new wage which came into effect last year July due to inconsistency in the consequential adjustment.
The leader of the NLC, Joe Ajaero and his colleague in the TUC, Festus Osifo supported by other executives said in spite of the inflation, if the government had been sincere with the consequential adjustment, the lots of the workers would have been better.
“We can say that the way the consequential was handled does not allow workers to enjoy the benefits of the new wage. It makes nonsense of the new wage,” labour said.
The organised labour noted that the problem with the consequential adjustment was more prevalent with states, MDAs and parastatals.
“We are ready to open negotiations with the federal government to help states, agencies struggling with the issue of the consequential adjustment”, they added.
Speaking further on the inflation, the two centres said reducing the years for the minimum wage review from five to three years was a great achievement for the organised labour during the last negotiation.
They said that adding that discussion on the new review would not be longer than the previous years, explaining that some agencies and parastatals have not even started enjoying the new wage, hence stating that all would be part of the discussion with the government.
President of the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government Owned Companies (SSASCGOC), who doubles as Deputy President of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Kayode Alakija, said that workers in the federal government parastatal who are members of the union are still living on N30,000 Minimum Wages.
He lamented that the plight of Nigerians has become worse despite the new minimum wage of N70,000 due to inflation.
“In my sector, I would say government has not even started to talk of compliance. Okay. We have some public institutions as our members that are not called civil servants—parastatals and some other Government owned companies.
“And you discover that of all these agencies, no circular has been issued as to them benefiting from the minimum wage. National Incomes and Salaries and Wages Commission said until they have a circular”, he said.
He stated that every agency now is struggling to apply for salary adjustments, noting that most of the agencies “in our own sector are still earning what they were earning before the minimum wage announcement.”
