The Organised Labour has said there will be no strike on Tuesday, 11th of June, 2024 over the minimum wage negotiation with the Federal Government.
NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, disclosed at the ongoing International Labour Conference holding in Geneva, Switzerland.
Ajaero emphasised, “We cannot declare strike now because the figures are with the President.”
He further explained that the proposals from the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage were awaiting the President Bola Tinubu’s decision, and the NLC’s National Executive Council (NEC) will thereafter convene to discuss the new figure once it was revealed.
Ajaero also asked several state governors to defend their own pay and other benefits in response to their opposition to raising the minimum wage for workers on the grounds that they were unemployed.
“During the tenure of the immediate-past President, the figure that was proposed to him was N27,000 by the tripartite committee, but he increased it to N30,000. We are hopeful that this President will do the right thing. The President had noted that the difference between N62,000 and N250,000 is a wide gulf.
“How can any governor say he cannot pay? They cannot also be calling for the decentralization of the minimum wage.
“Are their wages decentralized? Governors whose states are not contributing a dime to the national purse and who generate pitiable Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) are collecting the same amount as governors whose states are generating billions of dollars into the FAAC.
“They should decentralize their salaries and emoluments first.
“So, where is the governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki getting his money from? He is paying N70,000 minimum wage. This is the type of governor that should be emulated and not the lazy ones,” Ajaero stated.
Millions of workers in Nigeria are impacted by the complex and varied minimum wage dispute, which also has a big impact on the national economy. In an effort to promote communication and find a long-term solution, the NLC decided not to continue the halted strike on June 11, 2024. Nonetheless, the complaints leveled at state governors regarding their handling of state finances underscore the necessity of more responsibility and openness regarding the expenditure of public monies. To guarantee that workers receive fair salaries while ensuring economic stability, it is imperative that all parties involved collaborate during the ongoing negotiations.
An essential forum for raising awareness of these concerns and requesting international assistance and direction is the current talks at the International Labour Conference in Geneva. In the end, resolving the minimum wage controversy would call for cooperation from all parties and a dedication to the welfare of Nigerian employees.
