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James Ojo and Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Industrial action appears inevitable as the Federal Government said it cannot meet the demands of Labour on the consequential adjustments of the minimum wage.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, announced yesterday that the Federal Government would have to lay off workers to be able to meet a wage bill of N580 billion needed to pay the new wage.
Ngige told labour leaders in Abuja that the sum was what would be needed by government to pay the consequential adjustments as demanded by labour.
Labour had on Wednesday issued strike notice after a meeting of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) on the deadlock arising from the percentage of consequential adjustment of salaries for workers on Levels 07 upward.
Following the threats to embark on a nationwide strike from October 16, should Federal Government fail to reconvene the meeting of the committee negotiating the consequential adjustment on the new minimum wage, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has waded in.
The Vice President met with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige and the leadership of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Speaking with State House Correspondents after the meeting, the TUC President, Quadri Olaleye, they discussed extensively on payment of the new minimum wage.
According to him, they urged Federal Government to do everything within its power to avert the impending strike.
Olaleye warned that workers were not joking when they issued the one week ultimatum to the Federal Government to conclude negotiation on consequential adjustment else they embark on an industrial action to force government to do so.
The TUC President who said they were in the State House to rub mind with the Vice President on some burning national issues said they also suggested how to resolve the issues.
Olaleye said: “You are aware that the first burning issue in the country is the issue of minimum wage; we told the Vice President the need to take a quick action on the issue of minimum wage.
“We have given an ultimatum already to the Federal Government and you know labour will not joke with that.
“So, we have encouraged him to also encourage the president to do something very urgent before the expiration of that ultimatum given to government. We also mentioned the issue of job creation; that mostly it is not the responsibility of government to create jobs; that it is the private sector, individuals that can create jobs.
