TUC Rejects FG’s Position on Payment of National Minimum Wage

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has declared that the circular
issued by the Executive Chairman of National Salaries, Incomes and
Wages Commission, Mr. Richard Egbule, on the implementation of the
N30,000 new minimum wage is unacceptable.

Egbule had said the federal government would start the
implementation of the new minimum wage with those workers earning
below N30,000 per month.

While reacting to the threat by public service workers unions to
go on strike over delay in the payment of the new minimum wage,
Egbule said the position of the federal government is that the
implementation of the new minimum wage would start with all those
presently earning below N30,000 as salary, and that others would
follow after the conclusion of talks on the consequential
adjustment.

He said: “The salaries that are affected are those that are
below N30,000 as at April 18, 2019. Those who earn salaries above
N30, 000 will have their salaries adjusted after the conclusion of
the negotiations.”

But in a statement issued yesterday by its President, Quadri
Olaleye, and Secretary General, Musa-Lawal Ozigi, TUC said the
federal government is playing smart in order to discourage labour
action.

“We have read with concern the circular released by Mr. Richard
Egbule, the Executive Chairman of the National Minimum Wage
Committee, set up by the federal government to work out the
consequential adjustment arising from the wage increase. Let it be
known that this circular is unacceptable to us because it
contradicts the raison d’etre for setting the committee,” it
said.

TUC said it considered the circular as a smart move on the part
of government to discourage labour action, adding that “it is not
fooled.”

The union said it viewed the latest move as a betrayal of the
trust reposed on the federal government.

“We wonder why anything that has labour undertone becomes the
issue of rejection by the government. By this circular, the
government is testing the patience of the workers; and we assure
them that they either go to the negotiating table to complete the
assignment or risk the wrath of the workers.

“It will be recalled that recently, the newly inaugurated
National Assembly was showered with billions of naira at a time the
government is playing games with the minimum wage,” it stated.

The TUC statement said organised labour should not be blamed for
any consequential action arising from non-implementation of the
minimum wage, adding that “to be fore warned is to be fore
armed.”