Minimum Wage: Labour Stands Firm on May 31 Deadline

The communique, signed by NLC President Mr Joe Ajaero and TUC President Mr Festus Osifo, indicated that the NEC had extensively discussed the matter, taking into account the present circumstances impacting Nigerian workers and the general populace.

The Organised Labour has reaffirmed its May 31 deadline for the Federal Government to complete the process of establishing the new national minimum wage for workers.

This stance was articulated in a communique following a joint emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Abuja.

The communique, signed by NLC President Mr Joe Ajaero and TUC President Mr Festus Osifo, indicated that the NEC had extensively discussed the matter, taking into account the present circumstances impacting Nigerian workers and the general populace.

Labour acknowledged the progress made to date but stressed the need for a prompt and just resolution.

An agreement is sought that truly represents the contributions of Nigerian workers to national growth and addresses the survival challenges posed by government policies.

"The NEC remains dedicated to safeguarding workers' interests and welfare throughout the negotiation process.

Consequently, the NEC reasserts the ultimatum given by the NLC and TUC to the federal government, set to expire at the end of this month," the communique stated.

Furthermore, the communique instructed all state councils, where the N30,000 national minimum wage and related adjustments have not been fully implemented, to issue a joint two-week notice to the responsible state governments to prevent industrial unrest.

It also reiterated its call for an immediate rollback of the tariff increase and the "troublesome apartheid categorization into bands" to lessen the hardships faced by Nigerian workers and citizens.

Labour has also set a May 31 deadline for the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the federal government to satisfy these demands.

"Should the government fail to meet the outlined demands within the given timeframe, the NEC empowers the leadership of the NLC and TUC to undertake suitable measures.

This includes, but is not limited to, organizing workers for peaceful demonstrations and industrial actions to advocate for social justice and workers' rights," the communique partially read.

The organised labour underscored the imperative nature of these demands and called on the government to address the issues promptly for the sake of industrial harmony.

It appealed to all affiliated unions, workers, and Civil Society Organisations throughout Nigeria to maintain unity and resolve in solidarity during this pivotal time. (Source: NAN)

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