The organized labour represented by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC. the Organized Private Sector, OPS and the Federal Government will reconvene on Tuesday, May 23 for further negotiate on new minimum wage for workers.
Recall that the organized labour had walked out on the Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage on May 15. The Federal Government had proposed N48, 000 as the new minimum wage.
But in a letter of invitation sent to the labour leaders by the Chairman of the Committee, Bukar Goni, states that the Federal Government is ready to shift grounds.
The letter revealed that other members of the Committee have agreed to shift grounds from the N48,000 proposal which was made on Wednesday.
The letter appealed to the labour leaders to speak to their members and to attend the reconvened meeting next Tuesday.
Recall that the organized labour comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have proposed a new minimum wage of N615,000.
On its side, the Organized Private Sector, OPS, had proposed an initial offer of N54,000.
But after the walk out last Wednesday, labour leaders addressed a press conference. They used the forum to expressed their disappointment and anger over the Federal Government’s offer of N48, 000.
The labour leaders, therefore, blamed the Federal Government and the Private Sector for the breakdown in negotiation.
Recall that the Federal Government dashed the anticipatory hopes of Nigerian workers on May 1 Labour Day. The Government had failed to announce a new minimum wage.
In the wake of the tussle, the NLC President Joe Ajaero insisted on the N615,000 minimum wage,. He had argued that the amount was arrived at after an analysis of the economic situation in the country.
In trying to get the Government to do the needful, Ajaero and labour leaders gave the Federal Government a May 31 deadline to meet their demands.
Recall that Vice President Kashim Shettima, had on January 30, inaugurated the 37-member tripartite committee. The Committee was to come up with a new minimum wage for Nigerian workers.
The members of the Committee, cut across the Federal, State Governments, the Organized Private Sector, OPS, and organized labour. They were to recommend to the Panel a new national minimum wage for the country.
The Vice President, while inaugurating the Committee, urged them to “speedily” arrive at a resolution and submit their reports early.
“This timely submission is crucial to ensure the emergence of a new minimum wage,” Shettima had said.
The 37-man Committee is chaired by the former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Goni Aji.
source: Channels TV
