Minimum Wage: NLC,TUC Give FG Two Week Ultimatum

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), yesterday in Abuja gave the Federal Government two weeks to implement the minimum wage.

The NLC National President, Abdul-waheed Omar, announced the ultimatum at a joint news briefing of the two unions, saying any other proposal short of the N18,000 minimum wage was unacceptable.

He said the reluctance of government to implement the minimum wage had caused the delay in its implementation by the private sector.

“We have come to the sad realisation that no level of government has implemented the law, be it federal, state or local governments, in spite of the law coming into effect since March 2011.

“In the case of the Federal Government, the Salaries and Wages Commission has been unable to and /or unwilling to produce a table for the implementation to federal public servants, and so government has not implemented the law,’’ he said.

He said state governments that refused to implement the new wage would be violating the law, He berate some governors who were blackmailing others that were willing to pay.

Omar said the Nigeria Governors Forum’s idea of introducing a review of the revenue allocation formula as a prerequisite for the implementation of the minimum wage was to introduce a strange element into the process.

“The issue of new revenue allocation formula, which requires constitutional amendment to achieve, has been touted to be a condition precedent to implementing the minimum wage. “We find this as laughable and completely unacceptable as the law is clear and unambiguous.

“All stakeholders were party to the formulation of the law and we know that they can pay the N18, 000 minimum wage” he said.

“He added that the introduction of the oil subsidy argument was essentially asking government to increase the prices of petroleum products and further impoverish our people.’’

Omar said the NLC had rejected any condition attached to the implementation, adding that it would never support any action geared towards increase the fuel price.

“Our attention has also been drawn to the fact that some State governors are applying intimidation and timid compromise on the workers leadership in their states by threatening mass sack and high taxation.

“We hereby serve notice that any state government that indulges in this or induces an illicit agreement to pay less than N18, 000, will have to contend with a most robust form of resistance ever in the annals of workers solidarity in our country,’’ he added.

He called on the public and private sectors to begin immediate sensitisation and mobilisation of workers for a nationwide strike at the expiration of the ultimatum.

Also speaking, TUC President, Mr Peter Esele, said the move by some State governments had shown  lack of respect for the minimum wage law.

He said the governors were part of the negotiation, saying “ We expect them to go ahead and implement the N18,000 minimum wage immediately.’’

Meanwhile,  the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) on Tuesday  warned State labour officers not to concede to any agreement that is not in line with the N18,000 Minimum Wage Act.

In a letter addressed to all State chapters, the TUC General Secretary, Chief John Kolawole, said that it was beyond State officers to accept anything less than N18,000.

The congress was reacting to the N14,000 minimum wage accepted by workers in Ondo State which led them to call off their strike on June 26.

The workers said that they were ready to accept the N14,000 as minimum wage from the state government pending when the Federal Government would take a decision on the revenue sharing formula.

Kolawole said that the Act did not attach any strings to the payment of the new wage and that the 36 states would have to pay according to the Act.

“I strongly advise the state officers to resist any attempt to cajole them to concede to agreement which is not in alignment with the Minimum Wage Act,’’ he said.

The TUC scribe said it was not right for any worker to accept any amount lower than N18,000 which was the agreed sum and backed by  law.

Special Guest of Honour/Comptroller General of Immigrations, Mrs Roseline Uzoma (left), presenting a prize to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, after a novelty football match to mark 2011 Army Day celebration in Abuja, yesterday