The Federal Government’s fresh proposal of a ₦54,000 minimum wage has been rejected by the Organised Labour, with negotiations set to continue on Wednesday.
The offer came during a reconvened meeting of the Tripartite Committee on the New Minimum Wage, after the labour unions walked out of discussions last week.
According to a source at the meeting, the new proposal, although higher than the initial ₦48,000, is still significantly below the ₦615,000 demanded by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC). The meeting, held behind closed doors at the Nicon Luxury Hotel in Abuja on Tuesday, was adjourned to continue discussions on May 22.
NLC President Joe Ajaero criticized the government’s offer as inadequate. “It is still not substantial compared to what we need to make a family moving,” Ajaero said on Channels Television’s Politics Today. “There is nothing on the table. We may be reconvening tomorrow (Wednesday) in the afternoon to continue negotiations.”
Ajaero emphasized the dire economic conditions faced by workers. “The economy of the workers is totally destroyed. In fact, the workers don’t have any economy. I think there are two economies in the country; the economy of the bourgeoisie and the economy of the workers. I think we have to harmonize this so that we can have a meeting point,” he stated.
The Organised Labour has given the Federal Government a deadline until the end of May to conclude the negotiations for a new minimum wage. They have also urged members in states still owing the previous ₦30,000 minimum wage to prepare for industrial action. The failure of the government to present a nationally acceptable minimum wage before Labour Day on May 1 has intensified tensions.
Ajaero and other labour leaders maintain that the ₦615,000 demand is based on a thorough analysis of the current economic situation, which has been exacerbated by the removal of fuel subsidies, leading to a sharp increase in the cost of living.
As the deadline looms, the pressure is on the Federal Government to address the labour unions’ demands and reach a resolution that ensures fair compensation for Nigerian workers.