Update: A national strike scheduled to take place today due to deadlock in negotiations over setting a new minimum wage level has been temporarily suspended.
A statement signed by General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress Peter Ozo-Eson last night said: "Following the meeting of the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage today [Monday 5 November] and the signing of the final report recommending 30,000 naira as the recommended new national Minimum Wage and the readiness of the Mr President to receive the report formally tomorrow 6th November, 2018 at 4:14pm, the strike to called to commence tomorrow has been suspended by the Leadership of Organised Labour."
But the statement also continued that there were "still several bridges to cross" before the new minimum wage became law. This meant that "we all need to stand ready in a state of full mobilization in case future action becomes necessary to push for the timely enactment and implementation of the new Minimum Wage".
The rejection by Nigeria's federal government of a proposal to set the minimum wage at N22,000 (US$60.64) per month is expected to lead to a national strike.
The figure was suggested by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, but the federal government is still calling for it to be set at N24,000 (US$66.15). Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige told Channels Television that the state Governors had not gone far enough.
"The national minimum wage is a national legislation being driven by the federal government of Nigeria in pursuance to Item 34 of the exclusive legislative list. But you don't go and make a law which people will disobey at the initial," he said.
According to Punch, the president of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, supports this view, saying that the Governors' position went against the overall decision of the tripartite minimum wage committee.
Nigerian unions are now planning a nationwide protest due to the failure to reach agreement, Pulse reported.
National vice president of the United Labour Congress Igwe Achese told the Daily Post: “The only thing that can abort this strike is if they agree to our terms. Until that is done, there is no going back."
As a result, he warned Nigerians to “begin to stockpile their homes with foodstuff because this strike, when it begins, it will not end until the government meet our demands”.
Emma Woollacott is a freelance business journalist. Her work has appeared in a wide range of publications, including the Guardian, the Times, Forbes and the BBC.
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Update: A national strike scheduled to take place today due to deadlock in negotiations over setting a new minimum wage level has been temporarily suspended.
A statement signed by General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress Peter Ozo-Eson last night said: "Following the meeting of the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage today [Monday 5 November] and the signing of the final report recommending 30,000 naira as the recommended new national Minimum Wage and the readiness of the Mr President to receive the report formally tomorrow 6th November, 2018 at 4:14pm, the strike to called to commence tomorrow has been suspended by the Leadership of Organised Labour."
But the statement also continued that there were "still several bridges to cross" before the new minimum wage became law. This meant that "we all need to stand ready in a state of full mobilization in case future action becomes necessary to push for the timely enactment and implementation of the new Minimum Wage".
The rejection by Nigeria's federal government of a proposal to set the minimum wage at N22,000 (US$60.64) per month is expected to lead to a national strike.
The figure was suggested by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, but the federal government is still calling for it to be set at N24,000 (US$66.15). Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige told Channels Television that the state Governors had not gone far enough.
"The national minimum wage is a national legislation being driven by the federal government of Nigeria in pursuance to Item 34 of the exclusive legislative list. But you don't go and make a law which people will disobey at the initial," he said.
According to Punch, the president of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, supports this view, saying that the Governors' position went against the overall decision of the tripartite minimum wage committee.
Nigerian unions are now planning a nationwide protest due to the failure to reach agreement, Pulse reported.
National vice president of the United Labour Congress Igwe Achese told the Daily Post: “The only thing that can abort this strike is if they agree to our terms. Until that is done, there is no going back."
As a result, he warned Nigerians to “begin to stockpile their homes with foodstuff because this strike, when it begins, it will not end until the government meet our demands”.
Emma Woollacott is a freelance business journalist. Her work has appeared in a wide range of publications, including the Guardian, the Times, Forbes and the BBC.
OTHER ARTICLES THAT MAY INTEREST YOU
Nigeria: Africa's largest economy
Nigerian unions suspend national strike over minimum wage
Biometric system cuts ghost worker numbers in Nigeria's Delta state
