Labour leaders
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) under the auspices of the Organised Labour in Nigeria, has rejected the ₦62,000 workers’ minimum wage offer by the federal government, insisting that its final non-negotiable demand from the government is N250,000.
NLC’s Assistant General Secretary, Chris Onyeka, made this known while featuring on Channels Television’s live program, The Morning Brief show, on Monday.
“Labour will not accept any starvation wage below ₦250,000 as the current minimum wage of ₦30,000 can no longer cater to the well-being of an average Nigerian worker due to the high cost of living and the need for a living wage.
“We have never considered accepting ₦62,000 or any other wage that we know is below what we know is able to take Nigerian workers home. We will not negotiate a starvation wage.
“We have never contemplated ₦100,000 let alone of ₦62,000. We are still at ₦250,000, that is where we are, and that is what we considered enough concession to the government and the other social partners in this particular situation.
“We are not just driven by frivolities but the realities of the market place; realities of things we buy every day: bag of rice, yam, garri, and all of that.
“The one-week grace period given to the Federal Government to meet Labour’s demands expires on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, and so, if the government fails to act, Labour will meet to decide on the resumption of the nationwide industrial action.
“The Federal Government and the National Assembly have the call now. It is not our call. Our demand is there for them (the government) to look at and send an Executive Bill to the National Assembly.
“The National Assembly will look at what we have demanded, the various fact of the law, and then come up with a National Minimum Act that meets our demands.
“If the government insists on ₦62,000, Labour will resume the strike, which was relaxed last week,” the labour leader stressed.
It would be recalled that Labour declared an indefinite industrial action on June 3, 2024, but after two days suspended it for a week after the government promised to consider a wage above ₦60,000.
Last Friday, however, the government added a miserably meager offer of two thousand naira, bringing its minimum wage offer to a paltry ₦62,000, while Labour has reduced its demand to ₦250,000.
