• Govt unserious on plight of workers, says labour
• NECA begs unions to return to negotiations
Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) said they have decided to walk out of ongoing negotiations after the Federal Government and the Organised Private Sector (OPS) offered a national minimum wage proposal of N48,000 and N54,000 respectively.
They said the figures insult the sensibilities of Nigerian workers and significantly fall short of meeting their needs and aspirations. They added that the paltry amounts further demonstrate the unwillingness of employers and government to faithfully negotiate a fair national minimum wage for workers.
The decision was taken yesterday when the 37-man tripartite committee negotiating a new wage resumed meeting for the fourth time, and the Federal Government, labour and the OPS presented their positions.
Labour had proposed a N615,000 minimum wage, which it described as realistic, considering the high cost of living and current socioeconomic realities.
In a joint statement by NLC President, Joe Ajaero, and Deputy President of TUC, Tommy Okon, the labour groups said walking out of the negotiation was the best decision, pending when government would show serious commitment to a fair and sustainable resolution of the impasse.
They argued that despite earnest efforts to reach an equitable agreement, the less-than-reasonable action of the government and the OPS led to a breakdown in the talks.
The labour leaders said they could not, in good conscience, accept a wage proposal that would result in a reduction in income for federal-level workers who were already receiving N30,000 as mandated by law, augmented by former President Muhammadu Buhari’s 40 per cent Peculiar Allowance (N12,000) and the N35,000 wage award, totaling N77,000 only.
According to them, such a regressive step would undermine the economic well-being of workers and their families and is unacceptable in a national minimum wage fixing process.
They called on the government to reconsider its position and come to the negotiation table with clean hands that reflect the true value of the contributions made by Nigerian workers to the nation’s development and socioeconomic realities.
However, the chairman of the tripartite committee on national minimum wage, Bukar Goni Aji, appealed to members of the committee to push for a wage that is fair, realistic and implementable.
Aji, who was speaking at the opening of the parley, said the committee had reached the crucial stage of its assignment and needed to approach the conclusive part with honesty and patriotism.
He also urged members of the committee to move away from emotional appeal and embrace rationality.
Also, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) urged labour to return to the negotiating table.
Speaking on behalf of the OPS in Abuja, the Director General of NECA, Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, said: “The action of labour to walk out even when negotiations have not started, though within its rights to do so, is unfortunate. As it is seen globally, a major feature of all negotiations is for all parties to present their opening positions, which was done by all social partners. The expected follow-up action is the actual negotiation with attendant counter-negotiations, alignment and realignment of positions among others. The action of labour to walk out even when negotiation has not started, even when it is within its right to do so, has the potential to delay the assignment of the Minimum Wage Committee.”
