President Bola Tinubu’s administration contacted Organised Labour, represented by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), on Wednesday to resume discussions on the minimum wage.
A source in Abuja revealed this information to Punch, stating that Labour intends to accept the invitation.
The source said;
“A letter has been addressed to Labour by the committee chairman and signed by the NSIWC chairman. The meeting is scheduled for Friday.
“Of course, Labour will attend. If they present a better offer on Friday we will accept it.”
The minimum wage committee adjourned indefinitely after talks between the Federal Government and Organised Labour broke down on Tuesday.
Labour rejected the Federal Government’s ₦60,000 proposal, which was an increase from the earlier ₦57,000 offer.
During the meeting, labour reduced its demand by removing ₦3,000 from the ₦497,000 proposed last week, setting the new proposal at ₦494,000.
The NLC and TUC gave the committee until the end of the month to conclude talks on a new national minimum wage to expedite the negotiation process.
The ultimatum is set to expire on Friday night.
TUC President Festus Osifo stated that the ultimatum issued by labour stands after the breakdown of talks on Tuesday.
Osifo said, “We have an ultimatum on May Day that if by May end, we don’t have a new minimum wage that will take a worker home, we will not be able to guarantee industrial peace.
“We are sticking to that ultimatum.”
The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, urged Organised Labour to show consideration and patriotism in their requests during the current negotiations for a new national minimum wage.
labour and, indeed, other relevant stakeholders to be considerate and patriotic in their demands, recognising that our economy is still recovering from the devastating effects of the pandemic and other global economic shocks.
“We are committed to putting the people first and ensuring that our economic policies benefit all Nigerians, not just a select few.
“The government remains dedicated to prioritising the well-being of our citizens and it wants to urge all relevant parties to demonstrate patriotism and understanding.
“This is particularly during this critical period when President Bola Tinubu, is working diligently to revitalise the economy.
“As a government, we recognise the importance of ensuring that our citizens receive a decent standard of living wage, and we are committed to making this a reality.
“After hours of intense negotiations, labour leaders took a recess to consult with other key stakeholders and have pledged to return to the negotiating table for further discussion.
“We welcome this development and are optimistic that our continued engagement will yield a positive outcome.
“In the light of the current economic conditions, we have made a concessionary move from ₦57,000 to ₦60,000.”
A senior NLC official informed the platform that organized labor maintains its stance that negotiations on the minimum wage should conclude by Friday.
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