After rejecting the government’s and the organized private sector’s (OPS) new minimum wage proposals of N48,000 and N54, 000, respectively, organized labor withdrew from the minimum wage negotiations yesterday.
Organized labor claims that the government reduced the pay of federal employees who were already earning N30,000 as required by law. This was on top of the N35,000 wage award and the 40% odd allowance of N12,000 that previous President Muhammadu Buhari had given them, for a total of N77,000.
During a joint briefing held in Labour House by TUC Deputy President Dr. Tommy Okon and NLC President Joe Ajaero, Labour bemoaned the government’s reluctance to present any credible facts to back up their offer.
“Negotiation’s credibility is undermined”
It made the following argument: “This lack of openness and good faith damages the negotiating process’s legitimacy and erodes mutual confidence between the parties. The TUC and NLC both voiced deep
expressed deep sorrow that the Tripartite National Minimum Wage Committee negotiations, which had been resuming today, had unfortunately come to a standstill due to the government’s seeming lack of commitment to fair talks with Nigerian laborers.
“Notwithstanding sincere attempts to arrive at a fair settlement, the government’s and the Organized Private Sector’s (OPS) irrational actions have caused the talks to collapse. In addition to offending Nigerian workers’ sensibilities, the government’s plan for a pitiful N48,000 minimum pay falls well short of our requirements and ambitions.
However, it is important to note that even the lowest paid employees in the private sector receive N78, 000, as stated explicitly by the Organised Private Sector (OPS). This highlights the stark difference between the proposed minimum wage and current standards and further illustrates the government’s and employers’ unwillingness to faithfully negotiate a fair national minimum wage for workers in Nigeria. In contrast, the OPS proposed an initial offer of N54, 000.
The problem is made worse by the government’s refusal to produce any verified statistics to back up its promise. The negotiating process loses credibility and the parties’ mutual trust is damaged by this lack of openness and good faith.
“As representatives of Nigerian workers, we cannot in good faith support a wage proposal that would cause federal employees, who currently receive N30,000 as required by law, to earn less than N77,000. This amount is increased by Buhari’s 40% peculiar allowance (N12,000) and the N35,000 wage award.
“In a process aimed at fixing the national minimum wage, such a regressive step is unacceptable and will undermine the economic well-being of workers and their families.”
“The NLC and TUC have chosen to withdraw from the bargaining process in light of these events and to stop the negotiation of a wage reduction. As long as the government demonstrates a sincere desire to find a just and long-lasting solution to this deadlock, we will not stop fighting for the rights and interests of Nigerian workers and will hold sensible discussions with them.
We urge the government to reevaluate its stance and approach the negotiating table with clear hands that represent the genuine worth of the contributions Nigerian workers have made to the country’s development as well as the objective socioeconomic realities that affect all Nigerians today as a result of Federal Government policies.
We can work to provide Nigerian workers with a national minimum wage of N615,000, as suggested by us and supported by facts and statistics, if we cooperate and engage in a constructive discourse. This will be consistent with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s promise to guarantee Nigerian workers a livable salary.
“The ministers of finance, budget, and national planning, as well as the minister of labor and employment, attended the meeting but left early,” Ajaero stated during a Q&A period. Throughout the whole conference, just the deputy governor of Niger State was present.
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