By Ken Afor
Organized labour has rejected the federal government’s proposal of N48,000 as the minimum wage for public service workers in the country.
Labour rejected the offer when it was presented by representatives from the federal government during the resumed tripartite committee meeting on Wednesday, May 15.
In a show of dissent, members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) staged a walkout during the virtual meeting.
A labour representative who was at the meeting expressed dissatisfaction, asserting that the federal government lacked seriousness in providing workers with a wage that ensures a decent standard of living.
“What the government has presented to us is a wage reduction. This government is not serious about giving workers a living wage,” the labour leader said.
It would be recalled that on May 1, 2024, during the Workers’ Day celebration, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had pledged to provide workers with a living wage, assuring them that their wait for better pay was coming to an end.
Meanwhile, NLC and TUC, during the celebration, proposed N615,000 as the minimum wage, citing the risingccost of living as justification for the figure.
During Wednesday’s meeting, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) had earlier stated that the lowest-paid worker in the private sector earned N78,000 and consequently put forth N54,000 as the revised minimum wage.
It was gathered that the NLC and TUC will take their next line of action after they might have communicated the federal government’s proposal to their members.
It would be recalled that Tinubu, had set up a 37-member tripartite committee on January 30 to come up with a new minimum wage.
Comprising representatives from federal and state governments, the private sector, and organized labor, the committee’s mandate was to propose a new national minimum wage for Nigeria.
Vice president Kashim Shettima who stood in for Tinubu at the committee’s inauguration, encouraged members to swiftly reach a consensus and submit their recommendations promptly.
“This timely submission is crucial to ensure the emergence of a new minimum wage,” Shettima said.
Shettima stressed the importance of collective bargaining in good faith, highlighting the significance of honoring contracts and fostering consultations beyond the committee’s confines.
The 37-member committee, chaired by the former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Goni Aji, is tasked with overseeing the process.
