James Ojo, Abuja
President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, has charged state chapters of the union to take over the monitoring of the implementation of the new minimum wage.
In an interview before the agreement on consequential adjustment of salaries for levels 07 and above was signed last Friday with the Federal Government, he said it was left for the leadership of the union at the state levels to open dialogue with government for implementation.
“We have finished with the first and second stages, the third which is the last stage is the implementation at state levels, which we will monitor. By signing this agreement on the consequential adjustment of salaries for officers on 07 and above, it is expected that state chapters will continue engaging their governments to implement what we have agreed upon.
“The minimum wage is a law that is biding on every employers of labour, there is no question about it that we have a law in place, the law must be obeyed and that is why we are calling on our members at the State levels to open discourse with State government and also for the Private sector to do likewise.”
Wabba added that the template for the implementation of the minimum wage will be sent to all chapters at the state and those at the private sectors, noting that progress of negotiation would be monitored.
The NLC president urged union leaders not to compromise while engaging government officials and management of companies during negotiation as he lamented that the little gains of the minimum wage had been eroded by unfriendly economic policies of the present government.
“The leadership of the union is aware that what we were able to extract from government is pittance, at least we got something to add to the pocket of our members. It means we still have many rivers to criss and we will not relent in asking for a better welfare for workers because we produce the wealth of the nation.
“If you look at it, all the gains of the minimum wage have been removed by imposition of taxes, increase in tariffs and inflation, so we are yet to reach the point of no agitation or demand for better welfare for workers,” he said.
Wabba advised governors to cooperate with unions and implement the minimum wage without delay, warning that the union will not accept excuses of inability to pay.