Accuses govt of insensitivity to workers plight .
Demands immediate implementation of minimum wage
Following the nonchalant attitude of the government negotiating side of the consequential adjustment committee, the organised workers under the auspices of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), have warned that it would ground the nation’s economy if government fails to conclude the process leading to the implementation of new minimum wage within seven days.
In a statement signed by both NLC President, Ayuba Wabba and his TUC counterpart, Quadri Olaleye, and issued the at the end of the meeting with the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC-Trade Union Side), the unions maintained that unless government meet their demands on or before Wednesday, 16th October, strike action is inevitable.
Chief among their demands include the reconvening of the meeting of the committee negotiating the consequential adjustment with a view to concluding the process that started on the 28th of May, 2019 within one week; Entering into an agreement with labour to the effect that salary of officers on grade 07-14 should be reviewed upward by 29% while that of officers on grade level 15-17 should be reviewed upwards by 24%; and Commencement of immediate implementation of the signed agreement on consequential adjustment of public workers’ salaries with effect from 18th of April 2019 when the new national minimum wage of N30,000 per month was signed into law.
“The leadership of Organised Labour in Nigeria comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) met yesterday, 2nd October, 2019 with the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC-Trade Union Side).
“The sole agenda of the meeting was to receive briefing from JNPSNC and to discuss the way forward on the deadlock in negotiations for consequential wage adjustment for workers in public service arising from recent enactment of the new national minimum wage of N30,000.
“At the end of our deliberation, the leadership of organised labour in Nigeria wishes to categorically state that the leadership of labour cannot guarantee industrial peace and harmony in the country if our demands are not met at the close of work on Wednesday, 16th October, 2019,” the unions stated.
The leadership of organised labour stressed that the offer by government for salary adjustment of 11% for public workers on salary grade level 07 – 14 and 6.5% consequential increase for public workers on grade level 15 – 17 is not acceptable to Nigerian workers.
While describing the government salary adjustment offer of 11% for public workers on salary grade level 07 – 14 and 6.5% consequential increase for public workers on grade level 15 – 17 as unacceptable, the unions noted the position of government as a show of insensitivity to the plight of workers and an attempt to collect with the left hand what government had offered with the right hand.
Noting that the organised labour has out of its patriotic disposition demonstrated a great deal of restraint, consideration and patience with government, the statement further stressed that the nonchalant attitude of the government negotiating side has dragged negotiations for consequential wages adjustment unduly.
“In the course of negotiations for consequential salary adjustment, organised labour had to moderate its initial position of having 66.6% upward salary adjustment for workers on salary grade level 07 – 17 by accepting an upward adjustment of 29% for officers on salary level 07-14 and 24% adjustment for officers on salary grade level 15 – 17.
Despite this patriotic gesture, government has kept insisting that it can only pay 11% for officers on grade level 07 – 14 and 6.5% consequential wage increase to public workers for officers on level 15-17.
“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.”
Explaining further, the organised labour said the country’s currency, the naira had suffered devaluation from N150 to $1 in 2011 to N360 to $1 in 2019, a depreciation of 140%.
“Furthermore, petroleum price has been hiked from N87 per liter to N145 per liter which translates to 60% price increase. Electricity tariff has been increased by about 60%.
Of recent, the Value Added Tax (VAT) has been reviewed from 5% to 7.2%.
Nigerian workers have exercised tremendous patience and restraint already,” the statement reads
0 Comments