The Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress have walked out of the Minimum Wage negotiations with the Federal government.
In a statement jointly issued by the two Labour centres after their meeting in Abuja, both NLC and TUC rejected the N48,000 proposal offered by the Federal Government as the National Minimum Wage
The NLC President Comrade, Joe Ajaero and the Deputy President of the TUC, Comrade Etim Okon said to prevent the negotiation of a wage deduction, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) walked out of the negotiation process.
The two centres maintains that the Union remained committed to advocating the rights and interests of Nigerian workers and will continue to engage in reasonable dialogue with the Government if they show serious commitment to find a fair and sustainable resolution.
The NLC President, Joe Ajaero, explains that the federal government need to be serious about negotiating with the Labour on the new minimum wage, described the offer as ridiculous.
“The Government’s proposal of forty-eight thousand Naira as the Minimum Wage insult the sensibilities of Nigerian workers, while the private sector receives N78,000 (seventy-eight thousand Naira per month. The statement reads.
“As representatives of Nigerian workers, we cannot in good conscience accept a wage proposal that would result in a reduction in income for federal-level workers who are already receiving N30,000 (thirty thousand Naira) as mandated by law. 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” the statement reads.
The NLC President Joe Ajaero and the TUC Deputy President, Comrade Etim Okon said the Federal Government hhave till the end of May 2024 to arrive at a decision, and the Organized Labour will decide at the expiration of the ultimatum.
NLC and TUC had called on the Federal government to pay Nigerian wworkers N615,000 new minimum wage as a proposal, due to economic hardship and high cost of living in the country.
RN
