Labour Discontent: Government’s 35% Salary Adjustment Raises Tensions

Amidst negotiations for a new National Minimum Wage, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) finds itself at odds with the government over what it perceives as a unilateral and ill-timed salary increase for civil servants.

President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, expressed disappointment during an interview with AIT’s flagship program, Kakaaki, labeling the 35% salary increment for civil servants as an act of “bad faith.”

The NLC had been eagerly awaiting the government’s response to their proposal for a new minimum wage, which stands at N615,000. This proposal, put forward after exhaustive zonal hearings by the 37-member Tripartite National Minimum Wage Negotiating Committee, has been met with silence from the government’s end.

Adding to the frustration is the perceived neglect by the government since the proposal’s submission, a sentiment echoed by Ajaero who lamented that they’ve been met with “voice mail” instead of concrete engagement from the authorities.

This lack of communication becomes even more contentious given that the existing N30,000 minimum wage, signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019, expired on April 18, prompting concerns about the livelihoods of workers across the nation.

In a move that further exacerbated tensions, on the eve of the 2024 Workers Day, the Federal Government announced a 25 to 35% increase in the salary structures of various sectors, including police officers, the Armed Forces, and public servants.

This decision, conveyed through a statement by the Head of Press at the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, Emmanuel Njoku, was backdated to take effect from January 1, 2024.

The approved salary adjustment covers six consolidated salary structures, namely the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS), Consolidated Police Salary Structure (CONPOSS), Consolidated Para-military Salary Structure (CONPASS), Consolidated Intelligence Community Salary Structure (CONICCS), and Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure (CONAFSS).

While those in the tertiary education and health sectors had previously received their increases under structures such as the Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS), Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure (CONTISS), Consolidated Polytechnics and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Salary Structure (CONPCASS), and Consolidated Tertiary Educational Institutions Salary Structure (CONTEDISS), among others.

The ramifications of this decision are significant, particularly for civil servants who feel their concerns have been disregarded amidst a backdrop of economic challenges, including a 320% hike in electricity tariffs.

As the labour movement contemplates its next steps, the divide between government policies and worker expectations widens, raising questions about the effectiveness of dialogue and negotiation in addressing systemic issues affecting Nigeria’s workforce.

Reported by DAIRO AYOMIDE JEPHTHAH

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