From Bimbola Oyesola, Geneva
Members of the organised labour, yesterday, at the ongoing International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva, Switzerland, has said it would called for a meeting with the Federal Government and other stakeholders to readdress issues with the consequential adjustment of the new minimum wage.
Addressing journalists on the sidelines of the 113 ILC, both the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) at the joint briefing said workers were not enjoying the benefits of the new wage which came into effect last year July due to inconsistency in the consequential adjustment.
The leaders of the two centres, NLC, Joe Ajaero and TUC, Festus Osifo supported by other executives said in spite of the inflation if the government had been sincere with the consequential adjustment, the lots of the workers would have been better.
“We can say that the way the consequential adjustment was handled did not allow workers to enjoy the benefits of the new wage. It makes nonsense of the new wage,” labour said.
The organised labour noted that the problem with the consequential adjustment was more prevalent with states, MDAs and parastatals.
“We are ready to open negotiations with the federal government to help states, agencies struggling with the issue of the consequential adjustment,” they added.
Speaking further on the inflation, the two centres said reducing the years for the minimum wage review from five to three years was a great achievement for the organised labour during the last negotiation.
Adding that discussion on the new review would not be longer than the previous years.
They expressed that some agencies and parastatals have not even started enjoying the new wage, hence stating that all would be part of the discussion with the government.
President of the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government Owned Companies (SSASCGOC), who doubles as deputy president of TUC, Kayode Alakija, expressed that workers in the Federal Government parastatal who are members of the union are still living on N30,000 minimum wages.
He lamented that the plight of Nigerians have become worse despite the new minimum wage of N70,000 due to inflation. In my sector, I would say government has not even started to talk of compliance. Okay. We have some public institutions as our members that are not called civil servants – parastatals and some other Government owned companies. And you discover that of all these agencies, no circular has been issued as to them benefiting from the minimum wage. National Incomes and Salaries and Wages Commission said until they have a circular.”
He stated that every agency now is struggling to apply for salary adjustments, noting that “this means that most of the agencies in our own sector are still earning what they were earning before the minimum wage announcement.”