Labour Congress Reacts To “No WORK, No PAY” Released By the FG

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) said it will hold an emergency meeting to take a decision following the federal government’s announcement that it has proposed N24,000 as the minimum wage for civil servants after consultations.

The general secretary of NLC, Peter Ozo-Esan, in an interview with Premium Times last night said the committee adopted (through a motion) to recommend N30,000 naira as the minimum wage and that motion was moved and seconded by members from the labour union and the employers’ representatives.

The minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige, on October 10 after Federal Executive Council meeting debunked media reports quoting the president of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba that the tri-partite committee discussing the demand for new minimum wage has agreed to increase it from the current N19,200 to N30,000.

“Such information is not true,” Mr Ngige said

But Mr Ozo-Esan said the tripartite committee adopted a figure and “that is the only relevant thing in the issue”.

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“If Ngige is manufacturing something that was not agreed at the table, that is his problem. We have called our organs for an emergency meeting that will hold next week and the next step will be taken from there. We have no business with Ngige’s falsehood and his falsified process of the committee work,” he said.

Earlier, the national president of United Labour Congress (ULC), Joe Ajaero, on October 16 said the labour unions would not sign any agreement with the federal government on new National Minimum Wage if it is less than N30,000.

“N24,000 can never be the new Minimum Wage for workers. If the government pays it, then it is an award,” Mr Ajaero said.

 

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Mr Ajaero said the tripartite committee agreed that N30,000 would be paid at the end of its negotiations

He said it was sad that N30,000 was adopted by the tripartite committee “but the representatives of government announced N24,000”.

The labour leader said the unions would stand against it and would not sign any document, which does not reflect the true deliberation by the tripartite committee.

Labour also said the No work, No pay policy being talked about by the Presidency can’t work and should be jettisoned to avoid more troubles.

www.sojworld.com (c) October 18, 2018.