Tinubu lied, no talks with Labour yet on minimum wage
The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has insinuated that President Bola Tinubu, lied to Nigerians, especially the Nigerian Workers, when he said that the Federal Government was already discussing the upward review of the minimum wage with organised Labour, adding that the committee is yet to be inaugurated let alone meeting.
This is contained in a statement signed by the President of Congress, Comrade Joe Ajaero, while reacting to the Tuesday National Broadcast by President Bola Tinubu, where he alluded to the fact that workers would soon get pay rise and that the issue is being negotiated by FG and Labour.
According to the statement”Mr. President’s statement on working with Organised Labour to review the national minimum wage is out of sync with what has played out since President Tinubu removed the so-called petrol subsidy. In all the meetings scheduled by the government, Organised Labour has been forced to negotiate with empty chairs on the Federal Government’s side as the Federal Government has not matched its public promises with firm commitment to negotiate in good faith with labour. As a matter of fact, the sub-committee on wage award has not been inaugurated and has not met.
” Organised Labour is disturbed that while President Tinubu in his speech lavishly praised the Private Sector for quickly dispensing wage award to their employees, the Federal Government has failed to do the same for public workers in its employment. This is a clear case of failing woefully to live up to the standards it has set for others to meet.
” It is open knowledge that the review of the national minimum wage is a matter of the law which is expected to happen in 2024. How would Nigerian workers cope with the current reality of hyper inflation and suffering unleashed by the hasty removal of the so-called petrol subsidy till 2024 when the national minimum wage would be reviewed? This is incredible!
” The claims of interventions by the Federal Government through palliatives, loans and conditional grants to poor Nigerians, big manufacturing concerns and small businesses and provision of CNG buses remain what they are – promises! Nigerians are used to such promises which have never produced any verifiable and meaningful changes in the lives of citizens.
“For many Nigerians, it is incomprehensible that the principal actors in the current government including Mr. President himself were clear in 2012 on the need to tackle the fundamental issues that brought about petrol subsidy. Those issues included the failure of previous governments to repair our national refineries and bring those behind the monumental subsidy sleaze to book. Today, these issues were swept under the carpet in President Tinubu’s speech. Nigerians wonder “what has changed?”
“We wish to assure Nigerians that the Nigeria Labour Congress remains committed to matching discussions with government with the current realities of sufferings that Nigerians are going through. Until we see real commitment by government to do the needful to improve the lot of Nigerians and ameliorate the sufferings workers and ordinary Nigerians are going through, we remain committed to continue with our struggle.” The statement noted.
It would be recalled that the National Executive Council, NEC, had earlier ratified the resolution of the Central Working Committee of the NLC, where they resolved to mobilize Nigerians for a nationwide protest on Wednesday, 2nd August, 2023 to draw the attention of government and the world plights of Nigerians due to the anti people policies of government.