Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has again appealed to Organised Labour and the Joint National Public Service, Negotiating council (jnpsnc)to shelve their proposed strike as the Federal Government is working hard to resolve the issues over consequential adjustment of the new minimum wage of N30,000.
The minister made this appeal on Tuesday, while speaking with labour leaders in a ‘make or mar meeting’ in Abuja, for which if the issues are not resolved today could lead to industrial action earlier threatened by Labour.
Negotiations have broken down severally as the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), after receiving briefing from the JNPSNC, issued a statement recently warning that if the issues of the consequential adjustment were not addressed by Wednesday, October 16, the Labour movement would have no other alternative than to call its members nationwide to embark on a total strike.
Although grade levels 1-6, according to the government, have started receiving their salary increase of N30,000 minimum wage from N18,000, since the new minimum wage was signed into law by President Muhammad Buhari on April 18, but Labour is demanding a 29% adjustment on the salary of grade level 7-14. It also demands for salary increase of 24% for grade level 15 -17, while the government is offering 11% for the level 7-14 and 6.5% for level 15 -17.
Read also: Minimum wage: FG moves to avert labour strike
The minister asked the labour leaders to consider the dire Economic straits confronting the nation, saying “the meteoric rise in of recurrent expenditure especially personnel cost is worrisome. Today our budget presented to the National Assembly has 76 per cent for recruitment expenditure and 24 percent for capital expenditure, it doesn’t call for cheers.
“I appeal that the Sword of Damocles of strike you should bring it down.”
Also speaking, the Secretary-General of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Musa Aliyu Ozigi, said the union has come with open mind to discuss the issues even as he prayed that the meeting will resolve the lingering issues.
Acting Head of Service of the Federation, Folashade YemiEsan also appealed to Labour to appreciate the position of the government.
