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MINIMUM WAGE: NECA’s Double Standard Condemnable
NLC Press statement
Newsdiaryonline Tue July 19,2011
We read the thoughtless and provocative declaration of the
Nigerian Employers Consultative
Association (NECA) on the ongoing struggle by the labour
movement for the
implementation of the new National Minimum wage Act.
In a report widely carried by the media, the President of
NECA, Chief Richard Uche,
did not only incite private sector employers against workers,
but called on the
Federal Government to mobilize its security and state apparatus
of violence against
armless striking workers in a bid to scuttle the strike.
According to NECA, the strike is illegal and a gross abuse of
trade union rights. It
argues that it was unnecessary to shut down an entire economy on
an issue that concern
only about 2% of the workforce covered by the Minimum Wage
Act.
It is rather unfortunate that while NECA ostensibly in one
breath is prevailing on
the government to pay the National Minimum wage, in another
breathe it claimed that
action to actualize the payment of the wages was
illegal. Given this strange double speak by a reputable
organisation like NECA who should
know better having been
part of the process of negotiating the new wages and a
key partner in
industrial relations, we cannot but conclude that it is either
the employers body is
confused or desperate to protect its inability to
implement the minimum
wage in the private sector.
We consider this outburst by NECA as not only mischievous but a
betrayal of all it has
ever stood for as a social partner with the labour movement.
This long standing
relationship which has survived over the years had been built on
adherence to the
efficacy of agreements and mutual respect for the principled
position of both
organisations.
It is apparent that NECA which was part of the negotiated
minimum wage is attempting to seek a route to observe in
the breach the implementation of the
new wage in the private
sector. This is the more reason the strike must be total
in the private sector.
We call on unions in the private sector to see this reckless
position by NECA as a
challenge for us to intensify the mobilization for a total
strike in the sector.
We implore all workers in the private sector to actively
participate in this strike.
The new minimum wage applies to all Nigerian workers in both
private and public
sectors.
We are fully prepared to defend the rights of all workers who
actively participate in this strike as we will never
tolerate any infringement on the
rights of workers to strike. We gave enough notice
before we decided to embark on
the strike.
But for the clear dishonesty of NECA, every key player in
industrial relations anywhere
in the world should be convinced that 14 days notice is legal
and enough for any
serious employer or government to initiate resolutions of
contentious issues in
good faith. By their statement, it is now obvious that
NECA who should have
been involved in providing platforms for peaceful
resolution of industrial
crisis will be inciting the state against armless
workers genuinely
demanding for their legitimate rights.
For the purpose of emphasis, any company in the private sector
who dares Nigerian
workers by opening for business during the strike would have its
premises massively
picketed and NECA should be held responsible for this.
As for the security agencies, we remind them that this strike
is, as usual, a very
peaceful, legal and legitimate option left for us in our
collective struggle for
the actualization of the new Minimum Wage Act. If they chose to
provoke Nigerian workers
by attacking us, as advised by NECA, they will be doing
more than enough damage
to Nigeria’s already battered anti democracy image.
Meanwhile, the three-day strike commences tomorrow Wednesday
July 20, 2011.
Chris Uyot Head, Information & Public Relations
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