The ongoing minimum wage negotiations in Nigeria have faced a setback as key figures, including the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, and the presidents of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), have departed for Switzerland.
The labour leaders are attending the International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva, which started on June 3 and is expected to conclude on June 14.
Benson Upah, NLC’s Head of Information and Public Affairs, noted that the outcomes of the ILC meetings would significantly influence the labour unions’ next steps.
Upah noted the significance of the negotiation coming up during the Geneva conference, with several labour leaders, including heads of the NLC and TUC, Joe Ajaero and Festus Osifo, traveling out of the country.
According to him, this could stall whatever action labour might want to take “but it may not also stop it because even from Geneva, they can give instructions.”
An unnamed senior labour leader suggested that the ILC attendance would not halt negotiations, as virtual participation was possible.
He stated, “The reality is the demonstration of the level of disdain and contempt with which the Nigerian government holds the workers and the people.
“They don’t have any regard or respect for the people they lead, who are supposed to be at the heart of their governance effort. If they did, they wouldn’t have made the insulting offer of N2,000 to the existing N60,000.
“A minimum wage is supposed to help a worker eke out a living,” he added.
Speaking further, he stated, “We do not have any intention to accept N62,000 nor will we accept anything that will not allow Nigerian workers to have a decent living. The organs of the congresses will meet to make decisions. Workers are the ones who create wealth; we will not allow our leaders in the corridors of power to make a mess of our lives.”
“Any governor that refuses to pay a decent wage should resign. Are they not the ones paying school fees in advance for their children and saying there was no money? We have many of them. Ninety per cent of governors are looting their treasury.”
This development comes after the organised labour suspended their strike, which began on June 3, for five days. The strike aimed to pressure the Federal Government to approve a new minimum wage by May 31 and reverse the recent hike in electricity tariffs.
Following a six-hour meeting in Abuja, the Federal Government, led by Chief Bola Tinubu, committed to establishing a new national minimum wage higher than the proposed N60,000. The Tripartite Committee was scheduled to convene daily for a week to finalize the new wage agreement.
The 112th session of the ILC, organized annually by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), gathers representatives from its 187 member states to address global labour challenges, set international labour standards, and collaborate on development projects promoting decent work.
Follow the Parallel Facts channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaCQSAoHgZWiDjR3Kn2E
