Minimum Wage: NLC Rejects N100,000 Offer: "We Will Not Settle for Starvation Wage"
- The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has reiterated its demand for a N250,000 minimum wage
- The NLC dismissed the government's offer of N62,000 and proposals of N100,000 from some economists and stakeholders
- Legit.ng reports that labour gave the federal government a one-week grace period, which expires at midnight on Tuesday, June 11
FCT, Abuja - The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has clarified that it has never considered the N62,000 minimum wage proposed by the government.
This was as the NLC clarified that it never contemplated the N100,000 minimum wage for workers as claimed by certain economists and stakeholders.
Source: Twitter
Legit.ng recalls that during the most recent tripartite committee on minimum wage meeting on Friday, June 7, the organised labour firmly stood by its demand for N250,000 as the living wage for the average Nigerian worker.
Speaking on Channels Television’s 'The Morning Brief' on Monday, June 10, Chris Onyeka, NLC assistant general secretary, stressed that the stance of the NLC remains the same.
He said:
"Our position is very clear."
Onyeka emphasised that labour will not accept the government's recent offer of N62,000, nor the N100,000 proposal put forth by some individuals and economists.
He said:
“We have never considered accepting N62,000 or any other wage that we know is below what we know is able to take Nigerian workers home. We will not negotiate a starvation wage.
“We have never contemplated N100,000 let alone of N62,000. We are still at N250,000, that is where we are, and that is what we considered enough concession to the government and the other social partners in this particular situation."
NLC: Our deadline stands
Onyeka stated that the one-week grace period given to the federal government on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, will expire at midnight on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, The Punch reported.
The NLC official, however, warned that if the federal government and national assembly fail to address the workers' demands by tomorrow (Tuesday, June 11), the leadership of the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) will convene to decide on the resumption of the nationwide industrial action that was paused last week.
He said:
“If that does not meet our demand, we have given the Federal Government a one-week notice to look at the issues and that one week expires tomorrow (Tuesday). If after tomorrow, we have not seen any tangible response from the government, the organs of the Organised Labour will meet to decide on what next.”
Minimum wage: 36 governors speak
In another report, state governors under the umbrella of the Nigeria Governors' Forum have reportedly ruled out the option of paying N100,000 and above as the new minimum wage.
At their meeting on Thursday, June 6, the governors were said to have considered a minimum wage between N60,000 and N70,000.
The state leaders reviewed the country's economic situation and concluded that anything above N70,000 would not be sustainable and affordable.
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Source: Legit.ng
