LABOUR UNION THREATENS NATIONWIDE STRIKE, JANUARY 2019

by Onyinye Okeke
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The labour union have issued a threat to commence a nationwide strike come January 2019, in a bid to press home the demands for the implementation of the N30,000 new minimum wage.

The threat notice was contained in a communiqué signed by Ayuba Wabba, President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC); Boiboi Kaigama, President, Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Joe Ajaero, President, United Labour Congress (ULC) after the ‘National leadership meeting of Organised Labour in Nigeria’ held in Lagos state on Thursday.


The trio who frowned at the position of President Buhari during the presentation of the 2019 budget proposal to the joint session of the National Assembly, warned that the Organised Labour cannot guarantee industrial peace and harmony if after the 31st of December 2018, the Draft Bill on the new national minimum wage is not transmitted to the National Assembly.

The details of the communique reads; “The leadership of Organised Labour met and reviewed the process of implementation of the New National Minimum Wage and observed as follows: that almost two months of the submission of the report of the National Minimum Wage Tripartite Committee’s report which included a Draft Bill, no Bill has been submitted to the National Assembly for passage into Law.

“That the Federal Government is planning to set up a high-powered Technical Committee which is alien to the Tripartite process and ILO conventions on National Minimum Wage setting mechanism. That the National Minimum Wage Committee was both Technical and all-encompassing in its compositions.

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“The National Minimum Wage is not only for Public sector workers but for all workers both Private and Public. Consequently the meeting resolves that the Federal Government is expected to transmit the New National Minimum Wage Bill to the National Assembly on or before the 31st of December 2018.


“We reject in its entirety the plan by the federal government to set up another high-powered Technical Committee on the new national minimum wage. It is diversionary and a delay tactics.

Nigerian workers are urged to be vigilant and prepared to campaign and vote against candidates and Political Parties who are not supportive of the implementation of the New National Minimum Wage.

“Finally Organised Labour will not guarantee industrial Peace and harmony if after the 31st of December 2018, the Draft Bill is not transmitted to the National Assembly. This serves as a statutor notice for Organised Labour to recall our suspended Nation-wide Industrial action,” the communiqué read.

While addressing the joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday, President Buhari who earlier assured Nigerians of his resolve to implement the new minimum wage, however unveiled plans to inaugurate a technical committee to review the proposal.

“Let me say something about the minimum wage issue. I am committed to addressing the issue of a new minimum wage and I will be sending a bill to the National Assembly on this. However, in order to avoid a fiscal crisis for the Federal Government, as well as the States, it isimportant to devise ways to ensure that its implementation does not lead to an increase in the level of borrowing.

READ ALSO WHY NATIONAL ASSEMBLY WORKERS CALLED OFF STRIKE

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“I am accordingly setting up a High Powered Technical Committee to advise on ways of funding an increase in the minimum wage, and the attendant wage adjustments, without having to resort to additional borrowings

“The work of this Technical Committee will be the basis of a Finance Bill which will be submitted to the National Assembly, alongside the Minimum Wage Bill. In addition, the Technical Committee will recommend modalities for the implementation of the new minimum wage in such a manner as to minimize its inflationary impact, as well as ensure that its introduction does not lead to job losses.”

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