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Tag: new minimum wage

  • Labour asks govt to expedite action on new minimum wage

    The three tiers of government have been asked to expedite action on the implementation of N67, 000 minimum wages for workers.

    Speaking at the 6th Delegate Conference of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUCPTRE) which held in Lagos, the Chairman Lagos State AUCPTRE, Dr. Muali Akintayo Zubair said the demand was achievable.

    According to him, “If a senator can be earning N29 million in a month and we are all going to the same market everyday,N67,000 is not even enough as minimum wages for Nigerian workers.”

    While commending Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for taking giant steps in the provision of adequate infrastructure for citizens as well as protection of citizens and prompt payment of staff salaries, Zubair enjoined Ambode to look into the area of waste which now litters the whole of Lagos as “this can be injurious to the lives of Lagos citizens,” he said.

    On his part, the Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, Lagos State Chapter Idowu Adelakun calls for a serious and sincere handling of security challenges in the area of insurgency, militancy in the Niger Delta region, herdsmen attack, cultism, kidnapping, among others.

     

  • Fed Govt: new minimum wage ready by Sept

    Fed Govt: new minimum wage ready by Sept

    Fed Govt: new minimum wage ready by Sept 

    A new national minimum wage for workers will to be announced by the Federal Government before the end of September, Minister of Labour and Employment Senator Chris Ngige has said.

    The minister spoke just as the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Ayuba Wabba warned against attempt by individuals and group to frustrate the ongoing negotiation for a new national minimum wage.

    Such action, Wabba said, would not augur well for industrial harmony.

    Speaking at the opening ceremony of the NLC’s 40th anniversary celebration in Abuja, Ngige said while the new national minimum wage negotiation may be concluded before the third quarter, the committee put in place by the President has set a timeline of the third quarter to conclude its work and make available to Nigerians a new minimum wage.

    The minister’s announcement was greeted by a loud chant of “no, no no” from the workers, who felt that the new minimum wage was taking too long to be achieved.

    Ngige said in line with the ILO Conventions 144 on tripartite consultation, the government would put in place the Nigeria Labour Advisory Council before the end of the second quarters.

    Hailing the NLC for its successes over the years, the minister expressed concern over the seeming crisis within the labour family occasioned by the outcome of the last congress elections.

    He asked the union’s veterans to reawaken the peace process they put in place earlier to unite the labour movement.

    Ngige, however, frowned at what he described as misnomer, the practice within the trade union movement to dictate to employers how to manage their business or who to appoint into positions, adding that union leaders have no right to do so.

    The minister stressed that irrespective of the NLC’s trials, which included dissolution during the military era in Nigeria and the appointment of a sole administrator at one time to manage its affairs, the congress has recorded tremendous successes in championing the cause of its members to achieve decent workplace and to attain the social protection floor in the nation’s socio-economic institutions.

    He said: “Over the years, the NLC has shown its commitment to advance the welfare and protection of workers in line with principles put in place by the founders of ILO. It is particularly interesting to observe the quests by the NLC to ensure the whole essence of the freedom of association, the protection of the right to organise and to bargain collectively is practically realised.

    “I must use this opportunity to implore the NLC to be mindful of trade disputes of interest.”

    Ngige urged the NLC to “always bear in mind that social dialogue remains the critical tool in pursuing disputes of interest in order to fully realise the intent of declaring the dispute in the first instance”.

    “Also, over the years, it is equally important to note the efforts of the Federal Government to ensure a sound industrial relations system by maintaining a good employment   relationship with Labour. In this regard, the government has established a viable legal framework for Labour administration.

    “By the second quarter of this year, the Nigeria Labour Advisory Council will be revived in consonance with the provisions of the ILO Convention 144 on tripartite consultation. These and more are efforts made and being made by the government to guarantee a good employment relationship and fair Labour practices for its workers.

    “In furtherance to the determination by the Federal Government to attain decent works agenda, which involves opportunities for work that are productive and deliver a fair income, security in the workplace and social protection for families, there have been overtime, three minimum wage reviews and currently, the tripartite committee on national minimum wage is set to review the current minimum wage. Memoranda are being received from relevant bodies and persons to enable the determination of a new minimum wage for the nation.

    “It is pertinent to point out a misnomer that exists among the trade unions in their pursuit of their relative happiness in terms of industrial relations. Often, the workers through their respective trade unions, do over step by dictating to the employers who to appoint or otherwise. This is not right,” the minister said.

    Wabba said the alarming rate of unemployment in the country was a misnomer, adding that the welfare of workers was very important, which gave rise to what he described as legitimate demand for a review in workers’ salaries.

    The NLC president said those who slow down the process of review of the minimum wage should know that it will not augur well for them to deny workers their legitimate right as the current minimum wage cannot take care of their needs.

    He explained that the anniversary was organised to acknowledge the strategic contribution of the working people and their allies in the struggle for a better society and improved conditions of service for workers and pensioners.

    He drew attention to the alarming state of insecurity in the country, adding that the number of Nigerians who are losing their lives in attacks and counter attacks across the country portrayed a nation at war. Government need to step up to ensure adequate security.

     

  • Fed Govt to negotiate with Labour on new minimum wage

    Fed Govt to negotiate with Labour on new minimum wage

    Minister of Labour and Employment Senator Chris Ngige has said the government would negotiate with the leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on the new N56,000 minimum wage presented to it by the organised labour.

    Speaking when he received the leadership of the Organisation of Trade Union in West Africa (OTUWA) in his office, Ngige said the Federal Government had received labour’s demand for wage increament and will reach a decision soonest.

    He said in presenting their demands to government, labour leaders were merely obeying the dictates of workers, noting that at the appropriate time, government will meet them for negotiation.

    His words: “They are performing their functions as officers of the union and so, nobody will frown at that.

    “At the appropriate time, we will all sit down because what they have asked for is a re-negotiation of an existing agreement. Every agreement is subject to re-negotiation anytime when the partners request for it.

    “Government will put necessary machinery in motion. The request has been presented to me as the Minister for my advice and we will advise as we should for government to take a decision before we start the formal process of negotiating the agreement.”

    He assured the delegation of government’s support to achieve their set objective, even as he urged them to formalise their existence by signing a bilateral agreement with the Federal Government.

    “We will, as a government, encourage you and your organisation. We will partner you just like we have partnered OATUU. But I will ask you to formalise your existence by establishing a bilateral relation with the government of Nigeria.

    “When we get this request formally, we will take it to the Federal Executive Council for the President and our government to take note. When we have a bilateral relation with you, we can come to your aid in terms of materials. I promise that you will get the required support.

    OTUWA’s President Mademba Sock said the goal of the new leadership of the sub-regional body is to, within the quickest time possible, regain all the lost ground in those years that the organisation was dormant and be in the position to take up very effectively, contributing to the quest for regional integration as was the dream and vision of the founding fathers of ECOWAS.

    He said: “We would like to lead workers in the sub-region to partner our governments in this transformation and to help quicken the socio-cultural, economic and political integration of the people.”

    President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Comrade Ayuba Wabba, who led the delegation to the Ministry, said the Organisation had existed for over three decades and has a diplomatic status with ECOWAS, just like OATUU has diplomatic status with then African Union.

    Wabba said all West African countries and their trade unions are members of the body because ILO now wants to deal with sub-regional bodies and this was a process that was driven by the ILO, adding that presently, the NLC is hosting the secretariat because of the proximity to the ECOWAS secretariat.

     

  • NLC, TUC propose N56,000 as new minimum wage

    NLC, TUC propose N56,000 as new minimum wage

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) have jointly proposed N56,000 as the new minimum wage to the Federal Government as against the present N18,000.

    The NLC president, Ayuba Wabba, said this at a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja.

    Wabba said both the NLC and the TUC made the formal demand on the proposed national minimum wage to the Federal Government on Tuesday.

    “I can say now authoritatively that as of yesterday (Tuesday) we made a formal proposal to the Federal Government of N56,000 to be the new minimum wage.

    “The demand has been submitted officially to government and we hope that the tripartite system to look at the review will actually be set up to look at it.

    “Our argument is that, yes, it is true that the economy is not doing well, but the law stated that wages for workers must be review after every five years.

    “So, the issue must be looked into by the Federal Government and workers should not be seen as sleeping on their rights,” the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted the NLC president as saying at the forum.

    Wabba recalled that the last review of the national minimum wage was done in 2011, saying the setting up of a tripartite committee to review the newly proposed national minimum wage was long overdue.

    He said it was imperative that government should set up the tripartite committee for the review of the new minimum wage.

     

  • NLC to present new minimum wage proposal

    NLC to present new minimum wage proposal

    Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Ayuba Wabba has said a new minimum wage will soon be presented to the government.

    Speaking at the delegate conference of the Non Academic Staff Union (NASU), Wabba said since the five- year period stipulated for the review of the minimum wage had lapsed, the NLC was working in collaboration with the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to arrive at a figure to be presented to government.

    He said the recent announcement by governors under the Nigeria Governors Forum that they could not continue to pay the N18,000 minimum wage was part of a ploy to frustrate the demand for an upward review.

    He vowed that the congress would make the states ungovernable for any governor that tinker with the current minimum wage, pointing out that the leadership of the labour movement in the country was committed to a review.

    While admitting the challenges in the economy, Comrade Wabba said “the fact that there is challenge in the economy does not mean that only the workers  should suffer the consequence.

    “We will ensure that any governor that they to reduce the N18,000 minimum wage will not have rest in his domain until the right thing is done. Reducing the minimum wage is something that cannot be defended. If political office holders still collect the same salaries nationwide, there is justification for anybody to be thinking of tinkering with the minimum wage.

    “I want to assure us that the issue of review of the minimum wage, the leadership stands on that. We are only trying to consult with the TUC to ensure that they don’t divide our rank and come up with a figure that we will make public before we make our demand. I think it is defensive for them to say that they cannot continue to pay the minimum wage. I also think that they are saying so because they know that the review is due”

    Comrade Wabba also called for a review of Privatisation policy of the government saying it has not yeilded the desired result especially in the power sector which he said has resulted into more darkness rather than leading to improved power supply.

    The outgoing President of NASU, Comrade Ladi Iliya admitted that President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the nation’s economy was in crisis, with industries daily winding up, jobs being lost, while galloping inflation is being experienced .

    According to her, “these are all indications of an economy in crisis. We call for the diversification of the economy to bring back on board agriculture, manufacturing and mining of the solid mineral”.

    She said further that it was unfortunate that only public service workers are the real tax payers, saying “it is doubtful whether the rich in the society do pay tax and if they do, the question is, do they pay correct tax”.

    She reminded Buhari that he was elected by Nigerians based on his anti corruption posture and appealed to the government to follow due process in the anti corruption war of the government so that the culprits will not escape Justice.