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The Trade Union Congress and the Nigeria Labour Congress, collectively known as Organised Labour, held a meeting on Monday in preparation for their upcoming meeting with the tripartite committee on minimum wage scheduled for Tuesday in Abuja.
During the meeting, the union representatives agreed to maintain their stance on the May 31, 2024 deadline.
"We convened today and one of the decisions made is that we will not change our position on the May 31 deadline," said a source who is also a member of the minimum wage committee.
The Chairman of the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage, Alhaji Bukar Goni, confirmed in an invitation letter to labour leaders that negotiations will proceed on Tuesday.
His letter came 24 hours after the leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress walked out on the minimum wage negotiation committee after the Federal Government offered to pay N48,000 as the new minimum wage.
The organised private Sector, on the other hand, proposed an initial offer of N54,000. After dumping the talks, the labour leaders addressed a press conference where they expressed their anger over the Federal Government’s offer.
The National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, insisted on N615,000 minimum wage, arguing that the amount was arrived at after an analysis of the current economic situation and the needs of an average Nigerian family of six.
He blamed the government and the OPS for the breakdown in negotiation, saying, “Despite earnest efforts to reach an equitable agreement, the less than reasonable action of the Government and the Organised Private Sector has led to a breakdown in negotiations.”
But speaking on behalf of the OPS, the Director-General of the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association, Mr Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, described unions’ walkout when negotiation had not started as unfortunate.
The NECA DG admonished the union leaders to reconsider their position and return to the negotiation table in the interest of their members and national development.
However, Ajaero justified their decision to abandon the negotiation, saying, “The government’s proposal of a paltry N48,000 as the minimum wage does not only insult the sensibilities of Nigerian workers but also falls significantly short of meeting our needs and aspirations.
“Though it is worth noting that even the least paid workers in the private sector receive N78,000 as clearly stated by the OPS, highlighting the stark disparity between the proposed minimum wage and prevailing standards further demonstrating the unwillingness of employers and Government to faithfully negotiate a fair national minimum wage for workers in Nigeria.’’
He accused the government of failing to provide data to support its offer, noting that this undermined the credibility of the negotiation.
“Furthermore, the government’s failure to provide any substantiated data to support their offer exacerbates the situation. This lack of transparency and good faith undermines the credibility of the negotiation process and erodes trust between the parties involved.
