|
Minimum wage:No going back on
warning
strike,Labour insists
By Williams Anuku
Sun July 17,2011
Despite Saturday’s resolution by
the Governors' Forum to comply
with the payment of the
controversial N18,000 Minimum
Wage across board in their
respective states, leadership of
the Nigeria Labour Congress on
Sunday, took their decision with
a pinch of salt and insisted
they would go ahead with their
proposed strike, Wednesday this
week.
NLC in a media parley in Abuja,
told Journalists that even if
the Federal Government followed
suit with the governors to
effect the new pay system across
board, it will not change the
workers' resolve not to go on
the three days warning strike.
Deputy President of the NLC,
Promise Adewusi said on behalf
of the union that the governors’
pronouncement on the issue
smacks more of deceit, saying
their decision to pay has
changed nothing on ground and
has advanced nothing in reality.
"This is not the first time they
are coming up with such
stories." He enjoined
Nigerian families to stock their
homes with foods from today,
warning that the entire economy
would be grounded on the basis
of the strike, as flights,
banking activities,
transportation, fuel supplies
would be disrupted on Wednesday.
Adewusi also said the NLC and
TUC demand on the wage issue was
unambiguous; it is a signed
agreement between the Federal
and state governments on one
hand and the NLC, TUC on the
other hand. Which he noted must
be implemented across board
based on salary relativity that
would not distort the payment
table at the Federal, State and
Local Government levels.
“NLC still insist that the
payment of the new Minimum Wage
will take effect from March 23,
2011, the day President Goodluck
Jonathan signed the wage bill
into law. “We expect the arrears
from the Minimum Wage to be paid
within three months and no
worker will be victimized over
the wage increase by way of mass
retrenchment, increase in tax or
any other form.” He said: “for
us if tomorrow, the Federal
Government also announces that
it will comply with the minimum
wage law rather than attempt to
subvert it by trying to scheme
out most federal workers, it
will not be surprising because
the Nigerian people expect it to
obey the country’s laws.
“Therefore, the governors’
pronouncement that they will
obey the Minimum Wage has
changed nothing on the ground
and has advanced nothing in
reality, and if the Federal
Government follows suit, it will
not change workers resolve to go
on the three day warning strike
from Wednesday July, 20.”
The NLC leadership bemoaned the
situation, saying it is amazing
that a state government like
Abia which last year proposed
N46,700 during the negotiations
would delay in paying the
N18,000. “It is equally shocking
to us that states like Kwara,
Imo and Kebbi which proposed
N30,000 Minimum Wage and the FCT
and Anambra state government
which offered in 2010 to pay
N25,000 will show reluctance
when asked to pay N18,000.” It
would be recalled that both the
TUC and NLC had last week
rejected the payment template
and circular released by the
Federal Government to effect the
new wage policy at the federal
civil service level. The
template as explained by the
Chairman of the National Incomes
Salaries and Wages Commission,
Richard Egbule indicated that
the wage increase will be
effected across levels 01-06.
Minister of Labour, Emeka Wogu
had also last week tried to
intercede in the wage imbroglio
on behalf of the FG to avert the
strike by inviting the TUC
President, Peter Esele, NLC
President Abdulwahed Omar and
other stakeholders who
participated in the negotiation
process without much success.
Also the civil society
organizations are strongly
backing the move to embark on
the strike, irrespective of
decisions made by the FG and the
governors forum before
Wednesday. Meanwhile, the
Governors forum are expected to
meet with the labour leaders on
Tuesday July, 2011, which is the
eve of the planned strike.
|
