THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said yesterday workers were running out of patience with the Federal Government over delay in negotiation of a new minimum wage.
It said the workers could not wait indefinitely for government to respond at its own time.
Speaking at the Fourth NLC National Gender Conference in Abuja, NLC President Comrade Ayuba Wabba said workers were getting tired of government’s delay tactics in constituting a tripartite committee to negotiate a new minimum wage.
He asked the government to act immediately
Wabba said the although wage was due for renegotiation after five years, the Buhari administration was dragging its feet in constituting a tripartite committee as is the practice to negotiate a new minimum wage.
He said “against the background of the harsh economic times and the impact on the working people, we cannot wait indefinitely for government to respond at its own time”.
“Though, we have been told by the administration that the panel will be constituted, we enjoined the government to urgently sort out whatever is the constraint it is facing and act on the matter before we are forced to take actions that may be unpleasant,” he said.
According to Wabba, “it is no longer news that our country is in a severe recession and prices of virtually all consumable and non-consumable items have skyrocket. In the last 12 or more months, the inflationary trend in the economy has gone over the roof, and the mass of our people, the salaried and the teeming millions of the unemployed, are facing very difficult times.
“Amid these difficulties, we have contended with a number of state governments that have misplaced priorities and have regularly refused to pay workers in the state pay roll, their salaries as at when due.
Wabba stressed the congress’ commitment in promoting gender equity and gender participation in the affairs of trade unions in the country.
