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Tag: minimum wage

  • Decent living in journalism is difficult, says Osinbajo

    Decent living in journalism is difficult, says Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday said that journalists living a decent life in the country is almost impossible with the present poor remuneration.

    According to him, the private sector in the country does not respect the national minimum wage.

    He spoke during an end-of-year seminar of the State House Press Corps with the theme: ‘Journalists and Retirement Plans’ at the old Banquet Hall, Abuja.

    The Vice President noted that remunerations were generally poor in the country, including his own and that of the President.

    He said that he earns about N1.5m as Vice-President, while President Muhammadu Buhari earns about N1.75 million, which he said was not commensurate with the offices they occupy.

    According to him, the case of journalists was unique because many media owners are making the revenues but simply refuse to pay journalists better as and when due.

    He recalled his brief encounters working with media houses as legal adviser, and how in all the months he worked; he was not paid despite the irregular hours he put in.

    Osinbajo noted that the private sector, which hosts many media organisations, does not adhere to the country’s minimum wage, which is currently N18, 000 per month.

    He also said that entry into journalism is not rigorously regulated or enforced by professional bodies as even untrained persons are allowed in.

    He however, absolved the journalism on its own, saying that it is not exactly the fault of the profession but the way the reality of modern trends and invasion of social media has made it be.

    He said, “I realized first of all that this is not a profession from which one could make a decent living in the first place unless you find a really good way of doing so.

    “But more importantly for me was the fact that you are just on your own. Journalism as a profession is so wide open

    “There are a few reasons in my view why remuneration is poor and why those in the media especially those who are formally engaged, I will show you that it is not your profession and why that is the case.

    “The first is that it is just simply cheating.  There are owners of media that are just cheats. They just want to get something from nothing and that is not uncommon, it is a general malaise, it is not necessarily restricted to the media.

    “It is also the same in the legal profession. There many lawyers if they tell you what they earn, you will certainly not want to be a lawyer.

    “The private sector does not respect the minimum wage. Even if a minimum wage is set nationally it is not necessarily respected by the private sector and this is something that should be factored in to the status of a company and whether a company is even complying with the requirements.

    “In other places these are points which are checked when you are being considered for task, whether you are meeting your task or not. That is not the case here, so we need to enforce that.

    “We need to enforce some kind of adherence to the minimum wage structure. Not just the minimum wage of the lowest paid person, but minimum wages across the board especially so that there is certain amount of regulation of how people are paid and how they are paid.

    “Entry into journalism is not vigorously enforced.  Most professions are able to pay better because there is entry requirements that are rigorously enforced, Perhaps not the case in journalism and for good reason.

    “There are those who are formally trained as journalists but the profession will admit anybody at all even if you are not formally trained as a journalist and that is even becoming more so now with social media platforms, with blogs.”

    According to him, market forces also often determine the revenue of media houses and the pay that journalists attract for themselves.

    He therefore charged journalists to brighten their prospects and future by always seeking ways of improving themselves and getting better job opportunities with attendant improved income.

    He said it was inevitable that when one improves to be good or better at something, he attracts better pay; and this applies to journalists and even media outfits as better performance by newspapers and broadcast stations attracts more endorsements and adverts.

    Osinbajo touched on the role of professional associations guiding journalists, and lamented that they do not adequately engage media organisations that don’t pay their workers or journalists enough or not at all.

    Chairman of the occasion and governor of Nasarawa state, Tanko al-Makura, represented by the state Commissioner of Information, Mohammed Kwara, said a good retirement plan starts the day one is employed.

    He said: “On the whole, it is important to note that a good retirement plan starts the very day you are employed knowing that whatever has a beginning has an end. 35 or 60 mandatory years of service are certainly not eternity.

    “It must also be stressed here that it is not too late to plan even where you have just few years to retire from service.

    “The most important thing is that you have a plan either of money saved or of the job you intend to carry after on retirement. Put every other factor in place such as your age, strength and the mental capacity to carry on.” he said

    He added “It is important to state, therefore, that the uncertainty on payment of entitlements has continued to worry Nigerian workers, making them fear retirement.

    “This has led to prospective retirees falsifying their age just to enable them stay put in the Service.

    “In this regard, a lot of corruption induced activities have continued to infiltrate the MDAs and the organized private sector responsible for managing pension.” he said

    He listed ten top ways to prepare for retirement including start saving, know your retirement needs; contribute to your employer’s retirement savings plan.

    Others, according to him, are learn about your employer’s pension plan, consider basic investment principles, don’t touch your retirement savings, ask your employer to start a plan, think of creative ways to be self-sustaining, find out about your social security benefits, and ask questions.

    The guest lecturer and Chairman of Elumelu Foundation, Tony Elumelu said retirement should not be synonymous with being tired or giving up as it should be a stepping stone.

    He advised working journalists to pursue their purposes with passion, stressing the need to increase capacity in readiness for the next phase

    He said, “Entrepreneurship is not a function of age.  Set your milestones and work towards accomplishing the milestone.

    “Entrepreneurs are resilients, they persevere to succeed. You don’t need to give up easily, it requires sacrifice, discipline”

    Others who presented goodwill messages were Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed; Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi and Special Adviser (Media & Publicity) to the President, Femi Adesina.

  • Minimum wage politics

    In the early life of the Buhari administration, state governors had after one of their meetings, canvassed for a reduction of the current minimum wage or in the alternative, they will be compelled to reduce their workforce. They cited the parlous state of the Nigerian economy and the drop in international oil price as their main reasons for wanting a reduction from the current N18, 000 minimum wage regime.

    But they found two dissenting voices in their colleagues who argued to the contrary. The then governor of Edo State; Adams Oshiomhole, apparently because of his labour background, contended that the current wage regime was a product of elaborate discussions and agreement between the various governments and labour and could therefore not be tampered with even as it had become time barred. He found ample and timely support from his colleague, Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.

    We were soon confronted by a scandalous inability of governors and even agencies of the federal government to pay salaries, allowances and pensions. In some cases, workers were owed backlog of salaries and allowance mounting to over 10 months. The federal government had to intervene by advancing some funds to enable governors offset the arrears of salaries and allowances. Even then, there were instances where the funds were diverted to areas other those for which they were meant.

    Some governors and even agencies of the federal government arbitrarily worked out their own formulae of what to pay and how to pay in other to remain afloat. They resorted to paying workers certain percentage of their salaries. And faced with serious challenges of survival, those workers had no alternative than to accept whatever stipend the governments were prepared to pay. Since then, some governors have been paying below the minimum wage hiding under questionable agreements entered into with their workers. Yet, the issue of salary and pension arrears running into several months has remained a recurring decimal.

    The above background comes handy given the inauguration last week of a 30-man tripartite National Minimum Wage Committee to negotiate a new national minimum wage for workers.  President Buhari while inaugurating the committee said it followed the recommendation of a technical committee put in place after the increase in fuel price in 2016 and that the current minimum wage had expired.

    In May 2016 and against all expectations, the government increased the price of fuel from N87 per litre to the current selling price of N145 per litre. Before that regime came into office, its prime movers were at the vanguard of those opposed to any slight upward adjustment in the selling price of the commodity. It was therefore surprising that in one fell swoop, and barely a year after it came into office, it unilaterally hiked up the price of the commodity by that high margin. For some reason, protests did not erupt from any quarter probably because those with the technology for organizing them saw the government as their own.

    That increase brought in its wake a sporadic rise in the prices of goods and services with deleterious effects on the living conditions of the people. Prices of everything skyrocketed given the centrality of fuel to all economic activities. But it led to demands for wage increase with the NLC being its prime mover.

    Instead of wage increase, we were soon to witness an unprecedented layoff of workers, closures and salary cuts. Life was reduced to a similitude of the Hobbesian state of nature – nasty, short and brutish. We were almost immediately entrapped in an economic recession that took a toll on the lives of the people. The price of oil which sold around $40 per barrel in the international market then did not help matters. So we have had to contend with the debilitating realities of the harsh economy in the last two and half years of the current regime with no end in sight.

    Given the above, the inauguration of the national minimum wage committee came with mixed feelings. Not unexpectedly, some people have termed it an attempt to bribe workers as the 2019 elections draw closer. Some others see in it, an exercise in playing with time, doubting the sincerity and commitment of the regime to emplace a new national minimum wage. They cite the delay in setting up of the committee more than one and half years after the debilitating effects of the fuel price increase had taken negative toll on the lives citizens and the trademark inability of governments to pay the current wage.

    And since many of these governments have been finding it difficult to pay extant wage, there is the feeling that increasing the minimum wage would amount to an exercise in futility. What is the sense in an increase the governments cannot pay, the argument further goes. Since the governors are heavily represented in the tripartite committee, there is everything to suggest they will gang up to oppose an increase now.

    So the committee may not come out with anything tangible given that the debilitating economic conditions that forced them to owe are still very much around. But the federal government may be basking on the euphoria of our supposed exit from economic recession which has even failed to translate into improved standard of living for the toiling people of the country.

    It is true prices of some commodities have had a marginal drop. It is also no less correct that the price of oil in the international market now hovers around 60 dollars per barrel. The federal government in its 2017/2018 appropriation bill to the National Assembly also promised increased revenue to state governments next year. All these may have encouraged the government to inaugurate the committee.

    But they remain at best projections. And for a government that banned employment in all its ministries, agencies and departments next year, it appears contradictory it is about to increase wages. Even then, the same government has not kept faith with the current minimum wage regime. Under its N-Power Tech job creation scheme, it pays N30, 000 monthly stipends to graduates. By that policy, it has set the precedent that any employer can pay workers what it desires.

    The same government has been beating its chest regarding the quantum of jobs it claims to have created. But in reality such jobs have turned out as sources of cheap labour for state governments who deploy beneficiaries to schools with no incentives at all. Due to the paltry stipends, beneficiaries refuse to put in their best as it barely covers their transport fares to their places of assignment. If the government found reason to engage these graduates, it should have shown example by going the whole hog to pay them the minimum wage. With the cheap labour offered by this manner of job creation coupled with that of the NYSC members, the federal government has inadvertently shut down the capacity of the state governments to recruit workers.

    Even as wage increase is desirable, the number of those in paid employment peters out in the face of the army of the unemployed and the self-employed. A wage increase that targets the few in paid employment cannot substantially address the rising poverty in the land. Moreover, it will definitely come with its own concomitant problem of a general rise in the prices of goods and services. So we should be prepared for another inflation spiral.

    It would seem despite its allure, wage increase does not offer much prospects now especially given the inability of governments to pay the subsisting wage regime. It is bound to trigger another cycle of inflation and turn out counterproductive unless the government puts in place safety nets to cushion its negative effects on the ordinary people. The solution to the rising poverty lies in massive job creation and the provision of attendant infrastructural facilities to enable people create their own jobs.

  • Minimum wage: Folktales of wealth, reality of poverty

    SIR: The Muhammad Buhari administration has inaugurated a 30 man committee to negotiate a new national minimum wage that would be beneficial to the Nigerian worker. The president premised the review on the increase in the pump price of petroleum products since the existing wage structure had expired as pump price increased.

    Without a doubt, the economic reality of an individual’s purchasing power clearly necessitates income adjustment. As a matter of fact workers have been experiencing personal economic turmoil as a result of the economic depression, low purchasing power of the Nigerian currency as well as the inflationary trend.

    However, certain factors should be put into consideration by advocates of the N56,000 national minimum wage.

    Over the years, funding of wage bills especially by state governments have always been a national headache. Many states are unable to implement the last wage review of N18,000, while others who were able to pay ab initio, soon found it increasingly difficult to pay with the subsequent collapse of crude oil prices internationally.

    With the downturn in the financial fortune of Nigeria, how many states can afford N56,000 minimum wage?

    Inflation today is an average worker’s biggest problem. Inflation tends to render the income of workers impotent. Available statistics provided by the National Bureau of statistics and the Central Bank of Nigeria indicates that inflation in Nigeria is on an insignificant decline. The apex bank is promising an inflation rate of 10% in the nearest future. This is attainable, however, without a doubt, the economic reality does not suggest that inflation is on a decline as prices of goods and food items are still on the high.

    Prices in Nigeria react negatively to minimum wage adjustments and petroleum product pump price. Suffice it to say, as minimum wage increases or petrol pump price is increased, market women adjust prices upwards to enable them share in the national   cake thereby fueling inflation.

    Increasing our minimum wage will not solve the problem; it would rather aggravate the financial crisis within the economy. An increase in money wage will result in automatic decrease in real wage of the individual. Rather than increase the minimum wage rate, government should proactively think of ways to increase the consumer purchasing power by reducing inflation rate through more Investment in agriculture and its value chain line. Agriculture has the potential to enhance Nigeria’s income generating capacity, it has the capacity to reduce unemployment and drive down prices of food items and raw materials.

    With additional investment in agriculture, Nigeria will be able to meet its food and raw materials demand which will in turn frustrate “demand pull inflation “where too much money pursue few goods.

    Government should seriously consider encouraging the development of the real sector of the economy. The near death of the real sector has greatly affected our productive capacity which in turn creates unemployment and fuels importation and inflation.

    Infrastructure capable of aiding the development of the real sector should be invested in. Such infrastructures include power and good road network, these will enhance production value-chain and boost our productive capacity.

    The Nigerian worker’s need is beyond N56,000 minimum wage. What Nigerians need is an increase in his real wage rate via increased purchasing power of his earnings and decreased inflation rate. Increased minimum wage without increased household purchasing power will amount to a waste of scares resources.

     

    • Olalekan Odewale,

    Lonelake2001@yahoo.com

  • Buhari to workers: bigger minimum wage coming

    Buhari to workers: bigger minimum wage coming

    President advises governors to pay salary arrears before Xmas

    50% Paris Club refund for states

    Workers got some cheery news yesterday from the President — the N18,000 minimum wage will go up.

    President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the Tripartite National Minimum Wage Committee, noting that the last minimum wage instrument had expired. He said the government’s move was to ensure a fair and decent living wage for workers.

    Labour leaders were excited about the development.

    Buhari said: “You are all aware that during the period following the increase in petrol pump price in May 2016, a technical committee was established to examine and make recommendations to government on the measures to be adopted to cushion the envisaged painful effects of the increase on workers and the Nigerian populace at large.”

    ”During the deliberations of the technical committee, which comprised government and organised labour, the need for the review of the National Minimum Wage was highlighted and recommendation to set up a committee to look into the level of minimum wage was made accordingly. I am glad that the recommendation is being acted upon today and we can all acknowledge that this is in line with our democratic process. I wish to thank all those who participated in that exercise,” he said.

    The President stressed that the scope of the membership of the committee showed that it is all encompassing. He hoped that the outcome of its deliberations would be generally acceptable.

    Buhari urged the members to consider the National Minimum Wage and all matters that are ancillary to it with thoroughness and concern not only for the welfare of the workforce but the effect on the  economy.

    He said: “The subject of a National Minimum Wage for the Federation is within the Exclusive Legislative List of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). Accordingly, we should aim to go above the basic Social Protection Floor for all Nigerian workers based on the ability of each tier of government to pay.

    ”I say this because minimum wage is the minimum amount of compensation an employee must receive for putting in his or her labour and, as such, should be anchored on social justice and equity.

    ”Government’s decision after considering your final recommendation will be sent as an Executive Bill to the National Assembly for it to undergo appropriate legislative scrutiny before passage into law.

    ”As is evident by the membership of the committee, state governors and private sector employers are part of this process. This will ensure ease of implementation of a new Minimum Wage nationwide.

    ”I am hopeful that the principles of full consultation with Social Partners and their direct participation would be utilized by the Committee, bearing in mind the core provisions of the International Labour Organisation Minimum Wage Fixing Convention No. 131 and Minimum Wage Fixing Machinery Convention No.26 (ratified by Nigeria).

    ”Accordingly, conditions of genuine Social Dialogue should prevail in the spirit of Tripartism and Collective Bargaining Agreements. I, therefore, enjoin you all to collectively bargain in good faith, have mutual recognition for each other and always in a spirit of give and take.

    ”The Committee is expected to complete its deliberations and submit its report and recommendations as soon as possible to enable other requisite machinery to be set in motion for implementation of a new National Minimum Wage,” Buhari said

    Former Head of Service of the Federation Ama Pepple, is to chair the committee

    The Federal Government team is led by the Minister of Labour and  Employment,  Dr Chris Ngige,  who is deputy chairman. The chairman, National Salaries, Income  and Wages Commission,Chief Richard Egbule,  is secretary.

    Others in the federal government team are the minister, Budget and  Planning, Udo Udo Udoma;  Minister of Finance Kemi Adeosun; head of the Civil Service of the Federation Winifred Oyo-Ita ; permanent secretary, General Services Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Dr. Roy Ugo.

    A team from the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) includes Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola (South West), Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha (Souh East), Gombe State Governor Hassan Dankwambo (North East), Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike  (South South), Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong (North Central), and Kebbi State Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu  (North West). The director-general of NGF, A. B. Okauru, will be an  observer.

    On the trade union’s side,  Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) president Ayuba Wabba leads a team that includes comrades Peters Adeyemi, Kiri Mohammed, Amechi Asugwuni, Peter Ozo-Eson .

    In the Trade Union Congress  (TUC) team, led by its president, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama , are Sunday Olusoji Salako, Alade Bashir Lawa and Igwe Achese,  Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) president.

    On the employers’ side are the director-general, Nigeria Employers’              Consultative Association (NECA), Mr Olusegun Oshinowo, Mr Timothy Olawale (NECA), Mr. Chuma Nwankwo (NECA); Mr Olubunmi Adekoje, Director-General, Federation of  Construction Industry (FOCI); Alhaji Ahmed Ladan Gobir, chairman, Kaduna East Branch, Manufacturers’ Association (MAN), Otunba Francis Oluwagbenro (MAN); Hajia Muheeba Dankaka, president, Kano Chambers of  Commerce, Industry, Mines and   Agriculture (NACCIMA) and  Prince Degun Agboade, president, Nigeria Association of  Small and Medium Enterprises  (NASME)

    Ngige said: “Today is a remarkable day because this is a journey we started in May 2016. In May 2016, the Federal Government of Nigeria decided to do appropriate pricing for petroleum products and because of that, the pump price of petroleum and kerosene and others had to take their real pricing.

    “Coincidentally, some weeks before then, the Trade Union Congress and National Labour Congress (NLC) served the government a notice that the minimum wage would lapse in the next one month. They made a proposal to Mr. President on what they think will be the realistic national minimum wage.

    ”At the time the fuel price was increased, there was disquiet, resulting in industrial dispute between the labour unions on one side and the government on the other side.

    ”Those recommendations came to council and council approved them and set up a 30-man minimum wage committee.”

    According to him, the minimum wage is aimed at removing the problem of what the International Labour Organisation (ILO) calls “poverty pain”.

     

  • FG foot-dragging on new minimum wage – NLC

    The Vice-President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Solomon Adelegan, said on Wednesday the Federal Government was foot-dragging on negotiating a new minimum wage for workers.

    Adelegan said in Lagos that negotiating a new wage for workers was long overdue.

    He said: “The agreement on new minimum wage as posited by the NLC president, Ayuba Wabba, is long overdue because the former document signed by the government and labour is renewable after every fifth year.

    “As I speak now, we are in the seventh year, meaning it is overdue for review and we have sent letters to the appropriate quarters for the negotiation to commence but there is no word from government.

    “We have done our part since about four months ago when we presented our recommendation but government has yet to commence its own process.

    “We want to let the government know that our patience is running out on this issue. On our part, there are many options open to us.”

    Adelegan said there might not be a decent workforce if the workers were working under duress, engendered by poverty as a result of poor remuneration.

    “The position of the NLC is simple, when we talk about decent workforce, there should be a commensurate pay to drive them.

    “Nigerian workers are working under unfavourable conditions. How long will it take government’s team to engage labour if they are serious with the negotiation?

    “We are calling on government to expedite action on the new minimum wage without delay because the present pay being received now is a shame, considering the current economic hardship.

    “The impact of recession as claimed by the government is only felt by the workers,’’ the NLC official added.

    NAN

  • NASU threatens Fed Govt over minimum wage

    NASU threatens Fed Govt over minimum wage

    • Urges conclusion of negotiation before December

    The Federal Government may have more to contend with in the area of industrial unrest, if it fails to commence negotiations on the minimum wage and conclude it before the end of the year.

    The threat, coming from the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), may not be an empty one, bearing in mind that the union, last week, suspended for a month its five-week nationwide strike, in conjunction with two other non-teaching staff unions in universities – the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).

    The union, at its national executive council meeting in Abuja, called on the government to give mandate to the tripartite committee on minimum wage to start work immediately and finish before the end of the year, failing which it has called on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to mobilise workers to demand for the minimum wage.

    NASU President Chris Ani said the Federal Government had refused to show good faith in its dealings with workers on the issue of the minimum wage.

    Labour and Employment Minister Senator Chris Ngige had, in June, at this year’s International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva, Switzerland, assured labour leaders that the committee would be convened in two weeks, which ought to have been before the end of June.

    Ani lamented that workers were under the burden of a slave wage, which cannot meet their daily needs. “They cannot nourish their children and cannot educate them because the ruling class is bent on the commercialisation of education,” he said.

    He reasoned that now that the government has announced that the country is out of recession, nothing should stall the review of the minimum wage.

    He said:“In the last couple of weeks, there have been series of media reports that Nigeria is now out of recession. We have also watched government officials on television confirming and celebrating what we have read and heard in the media.

    “We, therefore, join other Nigerians to congratulate the government and relevant officials for bringing the country out of recession. While it lasted, issues that had to do with workers’ welfare were relegated to the background. The period was characterised by wage freeze, increase in job insecurity, shortfalls and delays in the payment of salaries, and withholding of other benefits of workers.

    “That is why we are congratulating the government for bringing the country out of recession. However, we in NASU, will only join them in the celebration when workers’ welfare improves, jobs are secured, salaries are paid in full as and when due, wage increase is de-frozen and other withheld benefits are paid.”

    Condemning what he termed government’s ineptitude to grow the productive sector that will create jobs for the unemployed, NASU warned that the union would resist any policy aimed at taking away the jobs of its members, thereby sending them into the labour market.

    NASU also berated governors, who were still owing workers in their states, despite several bailouts, urging the NLC to direct workers to ensure aa total close down of states where salaries are owed for more than two months.

  • NLC criticises Sagay over comment on minimum wage

    •Unions for rally over Paris Club’s tranche

    THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said yesterday that Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Anti-corruption Prof. Itse Sagay was ignorant on the issue of minimum wage and  the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention, which stipulates that every country must have a benchmark for workers’ salaries.

    Speaking at the 2017 NLC Rain School in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, its President, Ayuba Wabba, said the comment by Sagay that the minimum wage should be moved to the Concurrent List was a clear indication that he was unaware of what the issues on minimum wage are about.

    “Prof. Sagay has no clear understanding of what is minimum wage. Minimum wage is a core convention of the ILO – that means every country must be able to set a minimum benchmark, which no employer of labour can pay below,” he said.

    Wabba said the congress was prepared to force state governors to make public the recently released second tranche of the Paris Club refund by the Federal Government through mass action.

    He said both the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) would hold their separate National Executive Council (NEC) meeting within the next week to deliberate on the burning issue of interest to the workers.

    He added that despite promises made by state governors to use 50 per cent of Paris Club refunds to settle salaries, pension and gratuity, the reverse has been the case.

    Wabba said workers have decided to demand accountability and transparency on the disbursement of the funds to ensure they are not shortchanged by the governors.

    “Some of the governors are actually committed to this, but majority have diverted the funds. You are aware that some governors have used it to buy hotels, some have used it to pay consultants and therefore the impact has not been felt.

    “We will demand for accountability at all times. We can’t be talking about addressing corruption when those issues have not been made transparently . So, that is the aspect we are canvassing for. Let every state governor declared how he has use the money and whether or not they have kept to their word of using not less than 50 per cent to address the issue of pension, gratuity and everything, this will be our demand.”

     

  • Minimum wage: There’s limit to our patience, says Wabba

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said the  understanding being exhibited by  workers on the minimum wage issue should not be taken for granted.

    In an interview with The Nation, he said: “There’s limit to the patience and understanding the workers can have on the issue of minimum wage,” warning that labour might be forced to react if the issue was not urgently addressed.

    He said: “It is good for workers to express their fears on the issue of minimum wage, but it’s also good for leaders to be up and doing. For us in Organised Labour, it is an issue that we think that is long overdue and we have gotten commitment from all levels, including the National Assembly that this sue is addressed once and for all.

    “You can even see that in the last one month, an action has been taken, the Leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila proposed a bill to the effect that the issue of the review of minimum wage should be a provision of the law, because you are aware that in 2011, what we had was a tripartite agreement that after five years, the minimum wage will be reviewed.

    “But they have even gone one step further by saying that it should not only end up in the tripartite agreement, it should be a product of law. And I think that all of them in the National Assembly, whom we have interfaced with, are ready to do the needful, including if there is supplementary budget today, that they are ready to give it accelerated hearing.

    “Therefore, those fears are real, but we are working assiduously from our perspective to ensure that those issues are addressed.  It is an issue that you need to bring to the attention of the governors, employers, government and Organised Labour. And you know businesses are for profits and anything that will take a dime out of their profits, they are ready to do everything possible to delay it. We are mindful of that. It’s not the first time we are treading this path, you remember in 2010, it was also the same process.

    “But I think when the die is cast, all of us will then know that certainly, when the workers are pushed to the wall, there is a limit to patience and understanding. Certainly, a hungry person, however you explain to him, there is no basis how he will understand. So, we are looking at reality.”

    Wabba said it was clear that N18,000 in the context of the economic reality could not take anyone for a week.

    “ I assure you that we, on this side, will play our role very importantly so that we take into consideration some of the issues that our members have brought to our attention. But I think the important thing is that the process must start and we must see to the fact that this process must have a time-line where we can end it. We shouldn’t allow those workers to die first before the fruit of their labour will manifest,” he said.

    On child labour , Wabba said there is a tripartite committee working to review the law, adding that the Nigeria law is not consistent with the ILO convention on child labour.

    “There is the need to get that law reviewed because you can’t work outside the law, especially when it is a convention.

    “And, especially the age that is being referred to as a child, our old law back at home is not actually consistent with the ILO convention. But as I speak with you, I think we are through with that law.

    ‘’We are working assiduously with the National Assembly. They are supposed to have had a public hearing on that law but because of the fact that at the last ILC meeting, we agreed that the law should be recovered from the NASS, the tripod should do a review and then send it back to the National Assembly for enactment. So, progress has been made,” Wabba said.

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said the  understanding being exhibited by  workers on the minimum wage issue should not be taken for granted.

    In an interview with The Nation, he said: “There’s limit to the patience and understanding the workers can have on the issue of minimum wage,” warning that labour might be forced to react if the issue was not urgently addressed.

    He said: “It is good for workers to express their fears on the issue of minimum wage, but it’s also good for leaders to be up and doing. For us in Organised Labour, it is an issue that we think that is long overdue and we have gotten commitment from all levels, including the National Assembly that this sue is addressed once and for all.

    “You can even see that in the last one month, an action has been taken, the Leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila proposed a bill to the effect that the issue of the review of minimum wage should be a provision of the law, because you are aware that in 2011, what we had was a tripartite agreement that after five years, the minimum wage will be reviewed.

    “But they have even gone one step further by saying that it should not only end up in the tripartite agreement, it should be a product of law. And I think that all of them in the National Assembly, whom we have interfaced with, are ready to do the needful, including if there is supplementary budget today, that they are ready to give it accelerated hearing.

    “Therefore, those fears are real, but we are working assiduously from our perspective to ensure that those issues are addressed.  It is an issue that you need to bring to the attention of the governors, employers, government and Organised Labour. And you know businesses are for profits and anything that will take a dime out of their profits, they are ready to do everything possible to delay it. We are mindful of that. It’s not the first time we are treading this path, you remember in 2010, it was also the same process.

    “But I think when the die is cast, all of us will then know that certainly, when the workers are pushed to the wall, there is a limit to patience and understanding. Certainly, a hungry person, however you explain to him, there is no basis how he will understand. So, we are looking at reality.”

    Wabba said it was clear that N18,000 in the context of the economic reality could not take anyone for a week.

    “ I assure you that we, on this side, will play our role very importantly so that we take into consideration some of the issues that our members have brought to our attention. But I think the important thing is that the process must start and we must see to the fact that this process must have a time-line where we can end it. We shouldn’t allow those workers to die first before the fruit of their labour will manifest,” he said.

    On child labour , Wabba said there is a tripartite committee working to review the law, adding that the Nigeria law is not consistent with the ILO convention on child labour.

    “There is the need to get that law reviewed because you can’t work outside the law, especially when it is a convention.

    “And, especially the age that is being referred to as a child, our old law back at home is not actually consistent with the ILO convention. But as I speak with you, I think we are through with that law.

    ‘’We are working assiduously with the National Assembly. They are supposed to have had a public hearing on that law but because of the fact that at the last ILC meeting, we agreed that the law should be recovered from the NASS, the tripod should do a review and then send it back to the National Assembly for enactment. So, progress has been made,” Wabba said.

     

  • Minimum wage: There’s limit to our patience, says Wabba

    Minimum wage: There’s limit to our patience, says Wabba

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said the  understanding being exhibited by  workers on the minimum wage issue should not be taken for granted.

    In an interview with The Nation, he said: “There’s limit to the patience and understanding the workers can have on the issue of minimum wage,” warning that labour might be forced to react if the issue was not urgently addressed.

    He said: “It is good for workers to express their fears on the issue of minimum wage, but it’s also good for leaders to be up and doing. For us in Organised Labour, it is an issue that we think that is long overdue and we have gotten commitment from all levels, including the National Assembly that this sue is addressed once and for all.

    “You can even see that in the last one month, an action has been taken, the Leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila proposed a bill to the effect that the issue of the review of minimum wage should be a provision of the law, because you are aware that in 2011, what we had was a tripartite agreement that after five years, the minimum wage will be reviewed.

    “But they have even gone one step further by saying that it should not only end up in the tripartite agreement, it should be a product of law. And I think that all of them in the National Assembly, whom we have interfaced with, are ready to do the needful, including if there is supplementary budget today, that they are ready to give it accelerated hearing.

    “Therefore, those fears are real, but we are working assiduously from our perspective to ensure that those issues are addressed.  It is an issue that you need to bring to the attention of the governors, employers, government and Organised Labour. And you know businesses are for profits and anything that will take a dime out of their profits, they are ready to do everything possible to delay it. We are mindful of that. It’s not the first time we are treading this path, you remember in 2010, it was also the same process.

    “But I think when the die is cast, all of us will then know that certainly, when the workers are pushed to the wall, there is a limit to patience and understanding. Certainly, a hungry person, however you explain to him, there is no basis how he will understand. So, we are looking at reality.”

    Wabba said it was clear that N18,000 in the context of the economic reality could not take anyone for a week.

    “ I assure you that we, on this side, will play our role very importantly so that we take into consideration some of the issues that our members have brought to our attention. But I think the important thing is that the process must start and we must see to the fact that this process must have a time-line where we can end it. We shouldn’t allow those workers to die first before the fruit of their labour will manifest,” he said.

    On child labour , Wabba said there is a tripartite committee working to review the law, adding that the Nigeria law is not consistent with the ILO convention on child labour.

    “There is the need to get that law reviewed because you can’t work outside the law, especially when it is a convention.

    “And, especially the age that is being referred to as a child, our old law back at home is not actually consistent with the ILO convention. But as I speak with you, I think we are through with that law.

    ‘’We are working assiduously with the National Assembly. They are supposed to have had a public hearing on that law but because of the fact that at the last ILC meeting, we agreed that the law should be recovered from the NASS, the tripod should do a review and then send it back to the National Assembly for enactment. So, progress has been made,” Wabba said.

  • Govt set to negotiate minimum wage with Labour, says minister

    Govt set to negotiate minimum wage with Labour, says minister

    Negotiations that will lead to increased minimum wage will  commence this month, Labour Minister Chris Ngige has said.

    The minister’s assurance followed the announcement of the members of the national minimum wage negotiation committee.

    Ngige also allayed the fears of the Labour movement over the move by the National assembly to repeal the law on minimum wage by taking it away from the exclusive list to the concurrent list.

    Speaking with reporters at the ongoing 106th session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva, Switzerland, Ngige said though employers had said they were not in a position to pay the N56,000 minimum wage being demanded by Labour, all parties involved had agreed that the N18,000 minimum wage is no longer realistic.

    NLC President Ayuba Wabba told the ILC delegates that the situation of the working poor in Nigeria continued to be dire because of the high and increasing cost of living and rising number of dependents given the deepening unemployment situation; low social protection coverage, delayed payment of salaries among others.

    The minister said: “The issue of minimum wage is a tripartite thing involving the employers, workers and the government and the three of us are talking and have agreed that there is the need to review the issue of minimum wage in Nigeria.

    “The government also agreed that there is the need to pay for short fall of salary arrears, promotion arrears and other earned allowances and they can also attest to that. That is why they have not reported us here of subjugation because we have taken bold steps and initiated payment in that same direction.

    “Before I left home, N10 billion was already being processed for the promotion allowances arrears. Also, the sum of N14.6 billion had been expended in the area of salaries. If we go back home, we have other machineries and plans to go into the bond market and get some funds to offset all these arrears in one full swipe.”

    Asked when the issue of new minimum wage will be resolved, he said: “You cannot fix a time limit for the new minimum wage because it is a negotiation that is ongoing. But we are sure and we have seen the reason there must be an increase.

    “Some people have taken their position. The workers have demanded N56,000 and the employers have said we cannot pay N56,000. But everything being said now is outside the orbit of the negotiation table.When the committee comes into force, then actual discussion will start and that committee will come into force in the a forthright.”

    Speaking on the Bill before the House of Representatives seeking to remove the Labour matters, including minimum wage from the exclusive legislative list, the minister said: “bill has just been presented and if you understand the process of law making the way I do, you will not have any course to worry.

    “The real stage where law making begins is the second reading because that is where the argument starts and you have to convince your colleagues in the chamber in question, either in the House of Representatives or the Senate that the bill must be advanced further and there must be concurrence.

    “The bill in question has just passed first reading and I reiterate that the issue of Labour matters, minimum wage and arbitration are things that are on the exclusive federal legislative list, second schedule of the constitution, item number 34.

    “Therefore, even if that passes a second reading and third reading and is passed, it will still require a constitutional amendment for it to be allowed to pass into a law. So, it is almost like an impossibility. But anything is possible. It is like looking for a needle inside a sack. So, there is no cause for alarm.”

    Wabba said while organised labour were worried about the delay in the commencement of negotiation, they have gotten commitment from all level, including the National Assembly that they are ready to make sure that the issue is addressed once and for all.