FG, Labour Hold Fresh Talks Over Minimum Wage Today

minimum-wageNegotiations for a new minimum wage of N56,000 is to take place today between a delegation of the Federal Government and officials of the organized labour led by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).

The talks will initiate modalities that will guide negotiations for the new minimum wage proposed by the workers’ union.

The organised labour had on May 1, 2016 proposed a new minimum wage of N56,000 up from the current N18,000 and the federal government had agreed to set up a joint committee to begin negotiations.

After about five months of delay, the negotiation is set to commence.

NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, who confirmed yesterday that talks were billed to resume today on the new minimum wage issue, described the development as a step in the right direction.

He said, “We have submitted that demand. As I speak with you, the negotiation committee has not even taken off, but what I was informed two days ago is that the process has been ongoing at different levels because there are various people driving the process”.

According to him, labour leaders met yesterday to finalise their position, preparatory to their meeting with the government team today.

“They will then meet with the government side tomorrow (Tuesday). They want to tidy up the report, including the membership of the team that is supposed to negotiate the minimum wage”, Wabba said.

The labour leader lamented that the sitting of the committee had dragged for too long and that a lot of time had been lost in the process, further compounding the situation.

He said, “Workers are on daily basis being exposed and the purchasing power is going down, especially with the issue of the exchange rate

“They will be meeting tomorrow (Tuesday), and they are also trying to round off because they said they wanted the report to then go to the Presidency for formal approval because, at the end of the day, the president, must be involved. I want to assure you that we have not relented”, Wabba stated.