The federal government's proposed minimum wage of ₦62,000 or ₦100,000 for Nigerian workers would be rejected, as pledged by organized labor.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Assistant General Secretary, Chris Onyeka, called such a proposal a "starvation wage" during a Monday appearance on Channels Television.
Onyeka stated that labor will not accept the government's most recent offer of ₦62,000, stating that its most recent demand is that the average Nigerian worker's living wage be maintained at ₦250,000.
"Our position is very clear," he declared. We have never given thought to taking less than ₦62,000, or any other wage that we are aware is insufficient to send Nigerian workers home. We're not going to bargain for famine.
"We had never thought about spending ₦100,000, much less ₦62,000. We deemed it to be sufficient accommodation for the government and other relevant stakeholders in this specific scenario, therefore we remain at ₦250,000. Our motivations are not limited to frivolities; they also take into account the reality of the market and the goods we often purchase, such as a bag of rice, a yam, garri, and so forth.
According to Onyeka, the Federal Government was granted a week to study its proposal last Tuesday, June 4, 2024, but that week would end at midnight on Tuesday, June 11, 2024.
He warned that if the National Assembly and the Federal Government do not take action on workers' concerns, organized labor will convene to decide whether to resume widespread industrial action by tomorrow.
"The call is currently with the Federal Government and the National Assembly," he continued. We are not calling for it. We want the administration to review and submit an Executive Bill to the National Assembly, and we want the National Assembly to consider our demands and the different aspects of the law before creating a National Minimum Act that satisfies our requirements.
"We have offered the Federal Government one week to look at the concerns, and that one week expires tomorrow (Tuesday), if that does not meet our requirement. In the event that the administration does not provide a concrete response by tomorrow, the Organs of Organized Labor will convene to choose the next course of action.
He responded, "It was clear what we said," when asked what Labor would decide if the government insisted on ₦62,000 instead. We declared that a nationwide, indefinite strike would be eased. It's as like you're pausing it. Therefore, if anything is put on hold and the trade union institutions that oversee us determine that it should be lifted, it signifies a return to the previous state of affairs.
Minimum wage discussions
Following weeks of fruitless negotiations on a national minimum wage for laborers, organized labor—which includes the TUC and NLC—started a nationwide walkout on Monday to demand a new salary as well as the cancellation of the increase in power rates.
The labor unions stated that The average Nigerian worker's needs cannot be covered by the existing ₦30,000 minimum salary, according to some who argue the government should provide a more reasonable wage to workers in order to keep up with inflation.
However, the labor leadership agreed to resume talks with the federal government and come up with a new minimum wage within a week, which resulted in a five-day suspension of the strike.
The strike was put on hold after a six-hour meeting on Monday night in Abuja between the National Assembly and the labor leadership.
The President gave Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance, a directive last Tuesday to expedite the negotiations by presenting the financial consequences of a new minimum wage within two days.
Additionally, Tinubu instructed the government delegates to collaborate alongside the sub-nationals and the organized private sector to get a new, fair wage award for Nigerians.
At the Presidential Villa on Thursday, Atiku Bagudu, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, and the Finance Minister presented Tinubu with the financial effects of enacting a new national minimum wage.
Prior to the instruction, the minister called the organized labor proposal "unaffordable." The 36 state governors stated that the demand from labor unions was unsustainable.
Nevertheless, labor and the administration were unable to come to a consensus on Friday, June 7, 2024. While labor's demand fell once more, from ₦494,000 to ₦250,000, the government promised workers ₦62,000 and added ₦2,000 to its initial ₦60,000.
The President received briefings from both parties and is anticipated to make decide to approve a new minimum wage bill and submit an executive bill to the National Assembly for passage, which the president will thereafter sign into law.
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