Quote:The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday, said it cannot guarantee industrial peace and harmony, if state governors refuse to conclude negotiations and payment of the National Minimum Wage by December 31.

In a communique issued at the end of its meeting with state council chairmen on implementation of the national minimum wage, the union said there were currently three implementation categories in which all states fell into.

NAN reports that the communique was jointly signed by NLC President; Dr Ayuba Wabba, NLC General Secretary; Emmanuel Ugboaja and Abdulrafiu Adeniji; National Chairperson, Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (Trade Union Side).

The communique noted that Kaduna, Kebbi, Lagos and Adamawa have commenced implementation and payment of the new minimum wage, while Jigawa had concluded negotiations but yet to make its first payment to workers.

It also noted that Borno, Abia, Kano, Bayelsa, Sokoto, Niger, Akwa Ibom, Edo, Ondo, Ebonyi, Katsina and Zamfara States, have constituted a negotiating committee between their state government and Labour, following consequential adjustments of salaries.

“States which have not put in place a Negotiating Committee between the State Government and Labour on the consequential adjustment of salaries, include Bauchi, Yobe, Rivers, Benue, Gombe, Kwara, Imo, Osun, Ekiti, Oyo, Anambra, Taraba, Cross River, Ogun, Enugu, Nasarawa, Plateau, Kogi and Delta States.”

The communique noted that Organised Labour in the states comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress, and the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (Trade Union Side) would work in harmony to ensure that all workers enjoy the full benefit of the new National Minimum Wage.

The union urged state chairmen to immediately convoke an emergency State Executive Council meeting and State Congress of all workers to brief them of the outcome of the stakeholders’ meeting on the new national minimum wage implementation.

“States that are still on the discussion table (Category 2) should expedite discussions to conclude the negotiations on or before the 31st of December, 2019.

“States which have not commenced discussion should quickly constitute a Negotiating Committee and expeditiously conclude discussions on salary adjustment consequent on the new national minimum wage on or before 31st December, 2019.

“In the event that any state fails to comply with these resolutions on or before 31st December, 2019, organised labour would not guarantee industrial harmony in such states,” it added.

Quote:Only 5 States Paying N30,000 Minimum Wage – NLC


Workers losing patience over minimum wage implementation process, IPAC tells Nigerian govt

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has disclosed that only five states have started implementing the new national minimum wage, eight months after passage into law by President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a communiqué issued at the end of its one-day stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, the labour union listed Lagos, Kaduna, Kebbi, Adamawa and Jigawa states as those paying their workers the new salary package.

The communiqué was signed by the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, General Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja, and National Chairperson, Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (Trade Union), Abdulrafiu A. Adeniji.

The NLC listed the states that are yet to set up committees, to include: Bauchi, Yobe, Rivers, Benue, Gombe, Kwara, Imo, Osun, Ekiti, Oyo, Anambra, Taraba, Cross River, Ogun, Enugu, Nasarawa, Plateau, Kogi and Delta.

The communique reads: “Each state should immediately convoke an emergency executive council meeting and state congress of all workers to brief them on the outcome of the stakeholders’ meeting on the new national minimum wage implementation;

“States that are still on the discussion table (Category 2) should expedite discussions to conclude the negotiations on or before December 31, 2019;

“States which have not commenced discussion should quickly constitute a negotiating committee and expeditiously conclude discussions on salary adjustment consequent on the new national minimum wage on or before December 31, 2019.

“In the event that any state fails to comply with these resolutions on or before December 31, 2019, organised labour will not guarantee industrial harmony in such state.”