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  • Tuesday for mobilisation, not strike – NLC

    The Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC ) has declared tomorrow, Tuesday January 8, is for protest and mobilisation across the country, not commencement of strike.

    In a press statement by its Secretary General Comrade Peter Ozo Eson, the union said the date for the commencement of the strike action in reaction to the delay in transmitting the recommendation of the Tripartite Committee on a new minimum wage to the National Assembly by President Mohammadu Buhari will be declared later.

    “It has come to our attention that some section of the news media has largely misrepresented our action plan in reaction to the delay in transmitting the recommendations of the Tripartite Committee on a new National Minimum Wage to the National Assembly by President Mohammadu Buhari.

    “It should be recalled that the National Executive Council of NLC met on 17th of December last year and directed that we hold nationwide mobilisation of workers and our allies if by 31st December 2018 the bill on the National Minimum Wage has yet to be sent to the National “Assembly to be passed as an Act of Parliament.

    “We immediately announced then that on Tuesday, 8th January 2019, there will be a nationwide mass mobilisation and protests simultaneously across all states in Nigeria. This does not translate to a strike.

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    “It is on record that each time we had cause to embark on a national strike, we say so publicly without any equivocation. We still don’t understand where the story about a strike commencing tomorrow came from,” he said.

    Ozo Eson said already, all their State Councils, affiliate unions and allies in other pro people mass organisations now popularly referred to as Civil Society Organisations have been fully informed and mobilised to ensure the success of tomorrow’s mass protests in all the states and the Federal Capital Territory.

    “When a date is decided for the commencement of a strike subsequently, we will inform the public appropriately,” he said.

  • NLC seeks alternative economic model for job creation

    There is need for an urgent alternative model of economic growth to address unemployment and under-employment, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said.

    The congress was commenting on the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report for the third quarter, which stated that the number of unemployed increased by 3.3million year on year from 17.6million in Q3 2017 to 20.9 million in quarter three of 2018.

    The report also showed that underemployment, which decreased from 13.20 million in quarter three of 2015 to 11.19 million in quarter three of 2016, rose to 18.21 million in quarter of 2018.

    Also, the combined rate of unemployment and underemployment increased from 40.0 per cent in quarter three of 2017 to 43.3 per cent in quarter of 2018.

    In a statement, Comrade Ayuba Wabba said: “Beyond the increase in the size of the labour force as a possible cause of the unemployment, we are worried that the increasing pool of graduates, skilled and semi-skilled youth in the unemployment market,  is an indication of the sluggishness of the economy to actively diversify beyond oil, extractives and primary agricultural production.

    “It is more worrisome that as unemployment/underemployment increase so is the general increase in social vices and criminalities around the country where the youth are the most common perpetrators.

    “The congress is also concerned that the number of women in the unemployment/underemployment, which is currently 6.6 per cent higher than that of men, is partly an indication of the increasing vulnerability of families as poverty and cost of living increase and the economy is yet to fully recover from recession.

    “This situation not only worsens the vulnerability of women in the socio-economy, but further exacerbates the gender dimension of social vices and criminalities in the country.”

    Wabba said the combination of unemployment and underemployment coupled with inflation and a high cost of living put additional pressure on workers, who by traditional expectation will have additional responsibility to cater for some of the needs of relatives and friends.

    “This reality further justifies the need for an urgent implementation of a new minimum wage, which organised labour will keep its struggle until it is fully implemented without further delay,” he said.

  • NLC insists on prolonged strike from Jan 8 if…

     

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has insisted on embarking on a prolonged strike from January 8 should government fails to implement the new N30,000 National Minimum Wage.

    Its National President Comrade Ayuba Wabba told our correspondent that the strike will become inevitable should the government fail to do the needful.

    He appealed to workers across the nation to support the action to succeed in the interest of their social and economic prosperity.

    Wabba called on Federal Government to urgently transmit the bill on the new national minimum wage to the National Assembly for.

    He said: “It is unfortunate that the Federal Government is yet to transmit to the National Assembly an executive bill for the enactment of N30,000 as the new national minimum wage.

    “Government’s dilly-dallying on the issue has strained Government-Labour relations with a potential for a major national strike which could just be days away.

    “I want to appeal to the government to do the needful by urgently transmitting the bill on the new national minimum wage to the National Assembly.

    “We also would like to use this same opportunity to urge workers to fully mobilise for a prolonged national strike and enforce their right.”

    Explaining the strike becomes inevitable the last option for labour, the NLC president called on all Nigerians and businesses to understand and support it.

    He however assured workers that their labour, patience and diligence would not be in vain.

    Wabba said the NLC leadership remains committed to giving all it takes to ensure workers get just and fair wages in a decent work environment appropriate to their well-being.

    He added that the NLC leadership is similarly committed to social protection for workers.

    “The new year presents great opportunities for workers, pensioners, civil society allies and their friends and families to put their numbers to good use.

    “This is by voting out, not on the basis of tribe or religion but purely policy, any candidate that cannot serve their interest.

    “In the year that is ahead of us, the NLC remains unequivocally committed to the national and workers’ goals which include the campaign for industrialisation, against selective enforcement of “No Work, No Pay” policy of government, among others,” he said.

     

     

     

     

     

  • NLC’s claims on governors’ unwilling to pay N30,000 minimum wage mischievous, says NGF

    THE Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has described as mischievous and misleading, the claims that the governors are not willing to pay the N30,000 minimum wage.

    NGF Head, Media and Public Affairs Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo stated this in a reaction to a report quoting the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Secretary General Peter Ozo-Eson on the minimum wage.

    The statement said the NLC’s demand for governors’ probe on alleged diversion of bailout funds was a needless attempt by labour leadership to steer the public away from the promise by President Muhammadu Buhari to constitute another committee to review the minimum wage gridlock.

    It warned NLC not to destroy the existing conviviality that is already building-up between workers and their governors.

    The NGF stressed that the N22,500 proposed by the governors was arrived at after extensive deliberations among the 36 governors, considering the country’s economic situation and the states’ other obligations to the majority of the people of their various domains.

    The forum claimed that the governors were guided by the report of the tripartite committee set up by the President.

    The statement reads: “Governors have collectively made it abundantly clear that they would have been happy to pay workers the N30,000, but times are hard and because of financial constraints and other limitations, many states cannot afford it for now.

    “The NGF had offered workers a token increment to the sum of N22,500 from the current N18,000 after the submission of the report of the tripartite committee set up by the President and headed by a retired Head of Service, Ms. Amma Pepple, on October 6th.

    “The N22,500 was arrived at, after extensive deliberations among the 36 governors, outlining their financial capacities and liquidity, considering the economic situation of the country and the states’ other obligations to the majority of the people of their various domains.

    “Governors also emphasised that N22,500 is a “baseline threshold”, meaning that any governor, who can pay more than N22,500 is, therefore, free to go ahead and do so.

    “Let it be known that governors have met the President twice on this matter and presented their books to buttress their point. First, a batch of state governors, led by the NGF Chairman, Governor Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar of Zamfara State, in company of Governors Ambode of Lagos, Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Abubakar Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi) attended a closed door meeting with the President, where the financial standing of six states, one each from all the geo-political regions in the country, were shown to the President, after which, on Mr. President’s request, all the states forwarded their books, their revenues, both internally generated and their earnings from the Federation Account along with their other sources of revenue for examination. The president appears satisfied with the governors’ position, thus the decision to set up a new committee.”

    The NGF added: “It is important to add that, there has never been a time in this country, when states have embarked on a more aggressive revenue drive than they are doing today. And this is without exception or prejudice to any state.

    “To put the records straight, governors are not under any obligation, by law, to show their books to the NLC. But they have, in their pursuit of the understanding of the union, done so, not once, but several times over, with a view to letting NLC know that what they are asking for is neither realistic nor sustainable. Yet, NLC remains adamant that its will must be done, or the heavens will fall.

    “The President, at his last meeting with governors on December 15, 2018, admonished them (governors) to expect harsher economic tides from New Year’s, thus validating governors’ fears that even those states that had hitherto looked comfortable financially, may in the course of the new year, falter.

    “Moreover, since that last meeting, of the middle of December, between the governors and Mr. President, the economists of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum Secretariat have been working closely with the relevant departments in all the states of the federation and looking into other ways of collating financial standing of states that will help the President in ameliorating the situation.

    “Already, revenue to states have dropped drastically while demands by competing needs keep rising astronomically. Last year alone, revenue to states dropped from N800 billion when the tripartite committee was appointed (November 2017) to between N500 billion and N600 billion by the time Ms. Amma Pepple submitted its report in October 2018.

    “Moreover, state governors are making concerted efforts to improve education, health and infrastructure and for this, would not therefore, dedicate their states’ entire resources to workers’ salaries alone, knowing that workers constitute less than five per cent of the nation’s population. In that regard, governors emphatically announced, collectively, that no state would devote more than 50 per cent of its revenue to salaries.

    “To, therefore, insist that states must oblige the NLC its demands, regardless of the economic gloom that stares the nation in the face, is most unpatriotic and a deliberate attempt to hold the nation, especially the President, to ransom, this being an election year…

    “This is not the time for the NLC to destroy the existing conviviality that is already building-up between workers and their governors, especially in those states of the federation where governors are stepping up to the plate with the right decisions.”

  • Minimum wage: NLC, TUC urge Buhari to emulate ex-president

    THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)  and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have described the late former President Alhaji Shehu Shagari, as a national hero and a friend of workers, who gave them a minimum wage of N125 per month – equivalent of 200 dollars in 1981  – without workers having to struggle for it.

    They asked President Muhammadu Buhari to emulate the late Shagari by approving the N30,000 minimum wage, which they said is equivalent to  82 dollars.

    In separate statements in Abuja, the NLC  and TUC said despite the fact that Shagari came to power on a different  ideological platform,  he held a special place in the hearts of workers.

    NLC President  Comrade Ayuba Wabba said: “We at the  NLC would like to join the Nigerian government, world leaders, family members and other Nigerians in mourning the death of  Shagari, elder statesman and first Executive President.

    “As President,  Shagari was humble, personable, considerate and broad-minded – some of the reasons that explained his popularity among the ordinary people.

    “Shagari initiated some landmark projects, including iron and steel and petrochemicals in his quest to make Nigeria an industrial hub.

    “Not a few hold the view that but for the coup that removed him from power in 1983, unceremoniously cutting short his second term,  Shagari would have seen through his vision of a highly industrialised Nigeria. We similarly hold the view that given his urbane and simple and straight forward life style,   Shagari would have built an enduring culture of democratic succession in spite of some of the disputed elections in his time.

    “However, Shagari was blamed for not exercising requisite control over some of the rambunctious and corrupt members of his cabinet or party –  a fact not a few,  today,  believe was largely responsible for his removal from power. Amazingly,  his removal did little to diminish his towering stature as no act of corruption or wrong-doing was traced to him.

    “Thus, in retirement,  he was both a respected voice of moderation and wisdom from which succeeding leaders befitted till death took him away.

    “For us at the Nigeria Labour Congress,  Shagari,  in spite of having come to power on an ideological platform that was manifestly different from the one we subscribed to,  holds a special place in our hearts. For instance,  he signed into law the National Minimum Wage Act of 1981 that provided for a new national minimum wage of N125, which was equivalent to about $200.

    “It took more than deft move and political will to execute this.  It took the milk of human kindness in Shagari and his deep appreciation of the dignity of labour and value of the human life to do this.

    “To truly appreciate the value of what Shagari did for workers way back then without a bloody fight,  let us pause and reflect on the value of the present national minimum wage of N18,000 which is  $49;  and the new national minimum wage of N30,000 (equivalent to $82), which is due since 2016.

    “One of his other legacies was a national housing scheme,  a component of which was the building of low-cost houses for workers across the then 19 states of the federation.”

    On its part, the TUC said Nigerian leaders have a lot to learn from the late Shagari, adding that at the moment,  Nigeria need patriotic and selfless Nigerians, who would dedicate and commit themselves to the task.

    The TUC statement signed by its President,  Comrade Bobboi  Kaigama  and General Secretary, Comrade Musa-Lawal Ozigi reads: “TUC mourns the demise of Second Republic President at 93. We feel particularly pained by his death because of the challenges confronting the country presently. Dying on the eve of 2019 elections to us is not something to rejoice about, his age notwithstanding.

    “We have a task of building a strong and virile country that would rank among the comity of nations and we need patriotic and selfless Nigerians, who would dedicate and commit themselves to the task. Alhaji Shagari was a statesman and he carried himself as such till he died.

    “Every leader is a good listener. They are equally patient, tolerant and act with restraint. These virtues are not common sights in the political terrain these days. Baba was always calm, even when he had obvious reasons to be angry. The reverse is the case in the present day. Politics of acrimony, hate speeches, lies, thuggery, money laundering and a host of other vices are what define our polity today. It is quite unfortunate.

    “Emphatically speaking, the TUC would like to state here that we would not want to believe that the great teacher and former president died in order not to witness any form of crisis before, during and after the 2019 general elections. He believed in service to humanity and was labour friendly with the signing of a wage increase in 1981.

    “We do hope our dear President Muhammadu Buhari would honour our late former president with a new wage and ensure peaceful elections in 2019. There are many things to learn from the late ex-president and we urge politicians to emulate him for posterity sake”.

  • NLC seeks review of tax policy

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) wants the federal government to review the existing policy on tax exemptions, tax holidays and profit repatriation because the current policy adds no value to sustainable growth through creation and sustained decent job creation and industrial value chain. The Congress also wants the government to reduce the overhead cost in the 2019 budget by reviewing the jumbo packages of the members of the National Assembly and political appointees.

    In a statement signed by the President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, the NLC also wants the federal government to subject security votes of state governors to auditing by the office of the Auditor General of the Federation with a view to blocking leakages and conserving money for development. “We recommend that the 2019 budget provision for debt servicing should tilt more to local debt servicing. It is only when we have improved on local production and export that we can guarantee a proposed growth rate of more than the abysmal level of 1.8% in 2018 and a target of single digit inflation rate.

    “While we commend further the improved financial management policies that have led to an appreciable increase in tax revenue so far, we call for a further tightening of loopholes and leakages that encourage illicit finance outflows and corporate tax evasions. Specifically we call for a review of the policy on tax exemptions, tax holidays and profit repatriation all of which do not add value to sustainable growth through creation and sustained decent job creation and industrial value chain.

    “At the same time we demand that the government reduces the budget overhead cost by reviewing the allowances and jumbo pay of the members of the National Assembly and political appointees. We also demand that the so called security vote of state governors be subject to auditing by the federal auditor general with report made available and accessible for scrutiny where so required. This way it is expected that more revenue will be available for spending to boost the real sector.

    “The government must live up to its responsibility of managing the welfare and security of its citizens through Programmes and policies that give measurable output which must be adequately reflected and supported by the budget and the medium term expenditure framework,” the release read in part. The Congress commended the National Bureau of Statistics for its consistency in living up to its mandate of providing relevant statistical information and data on Nigeria’s economy.

  • Minimum wage: FG insensitive to workers, says NLC

     

    • Vows to mobilise workers against governors

    The delay in forwarding a bill to the National Assembly on the new minimum wage by the federal government is a demonstration of insensitivity to the plights of workers, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has stated.

    The Congress also condemned what it described as sustained deployment of brute force by political office holders to harass, hound and victimise workers and labour leaders.

    Such actions, it said, will no longer to acceptable to workers in the country.

    Rising from the National Executive Council meeting, the Congress said it planned to embark on sensitisation of workers beginning from January 8, especially against governors in the habit of not paying salaries.

    In a communique signed by the President and General Secretary of Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba and Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, the Congress said: “The continued delay by the Federal Government to transmit the Bill of the new national minimum wage to the National Assembly for enactment into law is unacceptable.

    “This leisurely conduct of serious state affairs is even after the National Assembly had passed a Resolution urging the President and the Executive branch of government to transmit the new national minimum wage amendment bill to it for consideration and passage into law.

    “The NEC expressed total dissatisfaction with the consequential delay and unacceptable lethargy in the process of regularizing and implementing the new national minimum wage of N30,000.

    “The calculated inaction of the Federal Government is a demonstration of acute insensitivity to the plight of Nigerian workers, their families and ordinary citizens.”

    The Congress particularly took strong exceptions to the unrelenting attitude of the Ogun State Government to frustrate efforts to peacefully reinstate NLC chairman in Ogun State, Comrade Akeem Ambali, who was sacked in the middle of a 2016 strike action to protest injustice against Ogun State workers.

    “The Comrade has been made to suffer unfair treatment for nearly two years on account of the performance of his legitimate duties.

    “This ugly situation has persisted despite repeated emissaries sent to the Ogun State Governor to reconsider his unsupportable position on the issue.

    “The entrenched insensitivity by some state governments and other political office holders to the plight of workers and pensioners especially in the States owing several months of salary arrears, unpaid pension and gratuity of retired workers.

    “It is most unfortunate that many of the governors diverted a significant part of the bailout funds and the Paris Club Refund initiatives meant to offset salaries, pension and gratuity owed workers and pensioners for purposes of personal aggrandisement and to fund non-impactful frivolous programmes and projects.

    “The NEC demanded a full investigation by the EFCC of the disbursement of all bailout, Paris Club Refund and Budget support releases to the States.”

     

     

     

  • Minimum wage: FG pleads with NLC over ultimatum

    The Federal Government on Friday urged the Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC ) to discard the Dec. 31 ultimatum issued over lingering disagreement between organised labour and state governments on the proposed N30,000 national minimum wage.

    The Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, made the appeal while speaking with State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The organised labour had on Thursday gave the ultimatum following President Muhammadu Buhari’s statement that a “high powered technical committee” would be set up to device ways to ensure that implementation of new minimum wage would not lead to an increase in the level of borrowing.

    The president stated this on Wednesday when he presented the 2019 Appropriation Bill of N8.83trillion at the joint session of the National Assembly.

    However, the President of the NLC, Mr Ayuba Wabba, who addressed newsmen on Thursday, expressed organized labour’s reservation over President Buhari’s position, saying that setting up a technical committee could not be a condition for passing the minimum wage report to the National Assembly.

    “We reject in its entirety the plan to set up another `high powered technical committee’ on the minimum wage. It is diversionary and a delay tactics.” he had stated

    But Lai, who described the NLC as “a very patriotic union”, said he was confident the organized labour would not do anything that would embarrass the government or Nigerians.

    He said: “The Nigeria Labour Congress is a very patriotic union and I am very confident that they will not do anything that will embarrass the government or do anything that is going to worsen the situation.

    “Continuous engagement I think is the key, we will continue to engage them and I think they do also fully understand what the challenges are, and both parties are determined to ensure that a common ground is arriving at which will be comfortable for all.” he said

    The minister, who briefed President Buhari on the activities of his ministry on Friday, said he made a portrait of the President in five major Nigerian attires, “one is in Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, Efik and one in suit.

    “It is reminiscent of the portrait we use during this campaign.’’

    On Senate President Bukola Saraki’s comment on 2019 budget proposal which was presented by President Buhari at a joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday, the minister said it was not the practice of the executive to be exchanging words with other arms of government.

    “It is not the practice of the executive to be exchanging words with the legislative arm of government, they are independent, we are independent but to the best of our knowledge, we presented a budget given the circumstances of our resources this year.

    Read Also: Labour rejects proposed technical committee on minimum wage

    $We feel that is the best we can. It is left for the National Assembly to consider it,’’ he said.

    Saraki had on Thursday asked Nigerians not to expect much from the 2019 Appropriation Bill, describing the budget proposal as hopeless.

    The minister also noted that the Buhari administration had delivered on its promises to Nigerians.

    “We are happy that we have been able to meet all our promises, all our obligations to Nigerians.

    “And as the year rolls out, we are more determined to even to deliver more to Nigerians.

    “I wish to use this opportunity to wish everybody Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.’’ he added.

  • NLC demands respect for ILO principles

    Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Comrade Ayuba Wabba has urged the Federal Government to respect the International Labour Organisation (ILO) principles and the rights of workers in order to ensure peaceful industrial relations.

    Wabba made this known in a lecture titled: Industrial relations in Nigeria today: challenges and prospects, organised by the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, in Abuja.

    He said: “If the government does not respect such principles, then peaceful industrial relations will continue to elude us.”

    According to him, the ILO Declaration of 1918 is about social justice. This implies that workers are not slaves. Workers work to earn a leaving and therefore, there must be social contract and social relationship that must be respected by all parties.

    He said: “Even in the best economy, workers do go on strike to drive home their points. As we speak, workers in France are protesting and demanding for fairness and justice.

    “This is the trend and tradition around the world. If we sit down and wish, we will have a peaceful industrial relations without respecting the fundamental principles of ILO, then we are not yet there.

    “If we must make progress, the government needs to continue to take the totality of workers as partners in progress, as creators of wealth and not a liability or as minority as presumed by some elite.”

    He further stated that in many other parts of the world, the principle of social justice must be respected especially in the healthcare sector, adding that healthcare delivery is the right of every citizen, a fundamental human right, like the right to life.

    “Security, welfare and health of the people are very fundamental. Among these principles and rights, health is the most important one,” he said.

    According to Wabba, many people have wealth but don’t have the health to enjoy it, adding that the key parameters to measure development in the whole world is health indices such as maternal and infant mortality.

    He, however, said that with accountability, transparency and respect to the rule of law with collective bargain, there will be very peaceful industrial relations.

    He said: “What us applicable in global best practices is to put in time of productivity to determine what your enumeration is.

    “When you go to hospitals in the United States, your clock is used to access your job evaluation. That is why nurses earn more. But in our case, they say once you are from this profession you must earn this salary; that is injustice.

    “We must look at the best global practices to make justice available to all”.

    Earlier, Professor Isaac Adewole, Minister of Health, said the organisation is an ideal, one manifesting the aspirations in the health sector.

    According to him, the topic is apt considering the frequent disharmony in the health sector which has exposed the citizenry to exploitation by private hospital owners and quacks.

    He added that dialogue is needed to enjoy the dividends of democracy and called on the union to maintain the legacy of unity.

  • NLC to governors: include N30, 000 wage in your budgets

    GOVERNORS should include the payment of the new national minimum wage in their 2019 Appropriation Bills, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has counselled.

    Labour said doing so remained the only to avoid friction and crisis in the New Year, adding that the state governments are buoyant enough to pay the N30, 000 being demanded for workers as minimum wage.

    NLC President Ayuba Wabba told The Nation in a chat that the minimum expectations from workers as the President presents the national budget “is for provisions to be made in the budget for the implementation of the minimum wage.”

    Wabba, who recently became the first African and the first black man to be elected President of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), described as unfortunate that workers continued to bear the brunt of economic hardship, with nobody fighting their cause whenever the economy improves.

    He said that governors only say they cannot implement the minimum wage because of how they have handled the resources at their disposal, saying the issue has nothing to do with the availability of resources.

    Wabba said: “Legally, the minimum wage due and the President has openly told the world that he is committed to it.  Our minimum expectation is that the minimum wage be accommodated in the budget and for workers to actually begin to benefit from it.

    “There is no two way about this because it is legitimately due. So, Nigerian workers should not be made to suffer the consequences of what they are not responsible for. When the economy is doing well, nobody bothers about workers.  But when the economy is worse, the workers will be at the receiving end because in most cases, they are not paid.

    “So, when the economy is doing well and when it is not, we have not actually received the desired attention. So, our expectation is that since everybody mutually agreed, the minimum wage should be a priority.”