Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
Organised labour has urged the Federal Government not to embark on any policy measures that will erode the expected gains of the new N30,000 new minimum wage for workers.
In a statement issued Saturday by the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba, the labour specifically asked the federal government not to approve any further tax policy or increase in the prices of petroleum products.
“We also call on government to refrain from introducing counterproductive economic policies and decisions that would erode the current wage gain achieved by workers. Any further increase in petroleum product prices, electricity tariff and personal income taxes would amount to collecting with left hand what was giving to workers with the right hand. The organised labour will resist such move, ” it said.
NLC also said that for the gains of the new minimum wage to be sustainable, traders and essential providers should refrain from articial inflation of prices of goods and services.
It said that judging from past experience, the poor understanding of implementation of the minimum wage adjustments usually results in inflation of prices that leaves the downtrodden masses as victims.
NLC further said that based on the agreement reached with government, all employers of labour in the public sector should ensure that necessary measures for the smooth implementation of the negotiated salaries based on the new national minimum wage is carried out with immediate effect.
“Further more all employers of labour in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as well as Organised Private Sector (OPS) are expected to complete the implementation process for the national minimum wage and consequential wage adjustment forthwith,” it said
NLC directed its state chapter and affliates to collaborate with the branches of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) the Joint Public Sector Negotiating Council (JNPSC) to ensure effective implementation of the consequential salary adjustment for workers k in the state public service.
