Posted by In a retaliatory move over the weekend, Organized Labor warned state governors against making statements that could inflame the nation’s industrial space in opposition to the new national minimum wage (NNMW).
It criticized the governors’ claim, made through the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), that they were determining what each state could afford to pay in the long run.
The labor unions’ position was that the 37-member committee tasked with creating a new national minimum wage should collaborate with the governors.
The Organized Labour claims that the governors “are more than able to pay” the new minimum salary it has requested of N615,000, but that it would have sought significantly more money had it been able to do so.
Remember that last Thursday, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the NGF Chairman and Governor of Kwara State, released a statement summarizing the results of Wednesday night’s virtual meeting.
The governors, who are part of the committee, are evaluating their respective budgets and the potential effects of different recommendations in order to determine a sustainable minimum wage.
“We assure you that improved wages will undoubtedly result from the continuing negotiations, and we are steadfast in our commitment to the process.”
Presented incorrectly,
Yesterday, Dr. Tommy Okon, who is also the president of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) and the deputy president of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), responded to the remark by telling Sunday Vanguard that Organized Labour believes the governors were misquoted.
“They can’t claim to be addressing the financial capacity of specific states. The governors, according to Okon, are likely discussing potential increases to the minimum wage. “What will be agreed upon is the baseline which nobody should pay less than,” he added.
Yet, they are capable of paying more than that. Indeed, I believe that is their intended message.
It is unacceptable that they are claiming to be evaluating or forming a committee to determine their individual payment capacities. No two committees should be focusing on the same thing at once.
“Perhaps the governors are discussing initiatives to put them into action. Establishing an implementation committee is the proper course of action for the governors. The new wage can only be implemented if they are aware of the resources available and the strengths of their workforce.
However, it is not true that they are negotiating the amount that each state can pay independently of the committee that the federal government has established.
Keep in mind that the governors are part of the federally-instituted tripartite committee. Therefore, they are confined to the committee.
If the reports are true or if the governors accept responsibility for the statement, it might lead to significant disruption in the industrial sector.
Plus, no country can live with that since it guarantees tremendous industrial turmoil and stunted growth for any country that follows this model. If there is industrial instability, no nation can grow.
We expect the governors to be careful not to say anything that could incite violence. The statement did not originate from them, in our opinion.
Table for negotiations
While the governors are members of the tripartite committee tasked with determining a new minimum wage, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declined to comment, stating that it has already made a demand in this regard and that any objections raised by them should be addressed during negotiations.
Nevertheless, according to an anonymous NLC source who talked to Sunday Vanguard, the governors are stepping on potentially explosive territory that might ignite the nation’s industrial sector.
“The committee that is supposed to be looking out for what will be the baseline or minimum cannot be discussing whether or not individual states can pay sustainably,” he stated.
When you get down to negotiate, you should bring your whole range of opinions with you. You take your stance on the matter to the bargaining table.
Since the governors are also members, we would prefer not to engage in a verbal scuffle with them.
However, they are stepping on hot coals that could ignite the industrial sector of the country.
“Based on the breakdown we released on Thursday regarding the N615,000 demand, we have made our demand, and it is a very generous one.”Our generosity has been plain to witness. Some costs, including those for entertainment, essential necessities like recharge cards, and extended family, are absent.
“Remember that the demand you’re seeing here originated from the surveys we distributed to state and municipal governments. It was not made by us.
We allotted N20,000 every month for power, so let’s talk about that again. There had been no 300 percent adjustment to the electricity tariff when we did it. The modification has had an impact on almost every other factor related to inflation.
We are aware that the governors are capable of considerably more than our demands need. We are not strangers to this path.A major issue with the governors is that they prioritize their personal gain over the wellbeing of the public and their employees.
“Governors have the means to pay substantially more than what we ask for, since numerous former governors are now facing prosecution by anti-graft authorities across the country, particularly the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.”
“How did we get to N615,000?”
On Thursday, the National Labor Congress (NLC) provided an analysis of the reasoning behind Organised Labour’s demand for a new minimum salary of N615,000 and rebutted the government’s position on when the pay would be implemented.
On Wednesday, while speaking to employees at Abuja’s May Day celebration, Minister of State for Labor and Employment Nkeiruka Onyejeocha announced that the new minimum wage would be in force beginning on May 1, 2024.
However, according to the NLC, it will be effective as on April 19, 2024.
“It is now critical that we educate Nigerians who might not be aware of the basis for our original demand for an N615,000 new National Minimum Wage,” stated Joe Ajaero, president of the National Labor Congress (NLC).
The statistic is the result of extensive research into the cost of living in Nigeria, which we conducted across the country.
The NLC and the TUC did separate studies on the cost of providing for a family’s basic needs across the nation, and this was effectively the result of their findings.
We assumed a typical household with two working parents and four children, free of any additional financial responsibilities caused by other family members.
In order to collect data on the average monthly cost of living, a questionnaire was created and distributed to all of the NLC and TUC state councils. From there, the questionnaires were forwarded to our members in every local government area across the nation.
We think that by summarizing our findings below, Nigerians will be able to comprehend the motivations behind our demand, which should lead to greater understanding and participation in the current National Minimum Wage Negotiation process.
Just glancing at the table up there should be enough to tell you that we have purposefully left out several variables from the dataset needed for these kinds of calculations.
“On the other hand, it’s important to mention that we haven’t factored in items like phone and data bills, donations to mosques and churches, community dues, entertainment, savings, security, etc.
As a result, these are only for essentials.
It should be mentioned that we reached this conclusion prior to the current nationwide gasoline shortage, which caused long lines and higher transportation charges, as well as the hike in energy tariff.
If the salary is lower than this, the workers and their families in Nigeria will be doomed to a life of abject poverty.
Initial start date
“It should be borne in mind that the previous one lapsed on April 18, 2024, and the new one is anticipated to have taken effect on April 19, 2024.
“The government’s failure to meet the legal requirement that required discussions for a new national minimum wage to have started six months prior to the current one’s expiration has sadly delayed the conclusion of those negotiations.
Our social partners will see the compassion, sacrifice, and logic in our demands, and we have no doubt that they will quickly agree to this amount.
“For the sake of justice, equity, and national development,” we sincerely urge all well-meaning Nigerians to persuade the government and employers to meet our demands.