Minimum wage: Labour, Federal Government Meeting Ends In Deadlock, Adjourns To Wednesday
Organised Labour has again rejected the latest offer of N54,000 minimum wage made by the Federal Government during the resumed national minimum wage negotiation on Tuesday.
The stalemate resulted in the postponement of the meeting to Wednesday following the inability of the labour leaders and government representatives to reach a consensus.
This was the third time the officials of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress and representatives of the government would fail to find a common ground on the national minimum wage.
Efforts to reach a consensus on Nigeria’s minimum wage have hit a roadblock as the tripartite negotiation meeting ended in a stalemate yesterday. The deadlock ensued following organized labor’s rejection of the government’s proposed N54,000 offer, aligning with expectations.
Lamenting the absence of state governors in the crucial talks, labor leaders expressed disappointment, highlighting the need for their presence to present offers. Despite the impasse, it was agreed that the meeting would reconvene today at 4 pm.
Sources revealed that labor leaders contested the absence of a formal offer from the Federal Government, emphasizing the perceived lack of seriousness in negotiations.
According to labor representatives, the N54,000 offer falls short of the N77,000 salary earned by workers, framing the discussions as a potential wage reduction rather than a negotiation for an increment.
Professor Theophilus Ndubuaku, a member of the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage, underscored the necessity of governors’ attendance for any agreements to hold weight.
“The Federal Government’s team said it did not know why the governors were not around because six of them were sworn in as members of the committee,” Ndubuaku stated, emphasizing the significance of governors’ participation in reaching a binding resolution.
Labour’s reaction to the N54,000 offer was firm, viewing it as insufficient and falling below acceptable standards for negotiation. With the May 31 deadline looming, labor remains resolute in its stance, warning of potential industrial action if negotiations fail to conclude promptly.
The impasse follows last week’s rejection of government and Organized Private Sector (OPS) proposals of N48,000 and N54,000 respectively, with labor deeming them inadequate and insulting to Nigerian workers’ dignity and needs.
