Labour Union-beyond wage negotiation- Salu Ayoola

Every 1st of May we celebrate workers day with the usual parades and the broken record song of increase in minimum wage
The question is-has increased wages solved the problems of Nigerian workers? Trace the history from Udoji’s award through IBB elongated salary structure till date.What is the condition of Nigerian workers? Has it improved? Definitely NO
Elsewhere in other nations labour cost is cheaper and workers are not complaining
The focus of labour should transceed wage increase.Wage increase is a path to economic destruction.A populist approach where workers are retrenched,salaries are being owed and pensioners are dying.Can we continue to sing the same old tunes?
There are other pallatives that can better the lives of the labour force-free or subsidized meal, affordable housing, affordable and efficient transport system, health welfare packages,insurance against loss of employmet,life assurance,better working conditions(working hours,sanitary etc),maternity issues,loss of jobs to lebanese and other foreigners,annual leave and holidays,scholarship for chidren,educational trust fund mismanagement,in house proficiency training,promotion issues,access to credit,improved technology and safety of job environment etc are some but not limited examples of where focus should shift.We are tired of decades of minimum wage negotiation that only benefits labour union executives.
LONG LIVE NIGERIAN WORKERS
I am not APC or PDP but i desire the best for Nigeria
-Salu Ayoola ph