The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday resolved to embark on a three-day warning strike as from Wednesday, July 20, 2011 to press home their demand for the implementation of the N18,000 minimum wage at federal, state and local government levels across the country.
Members of the NLC National Administrative Council (NLC- NAC), at a meeting which lasted for about four hours, also rejected the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS) circular dated July 8, issued by Federal Government through the National Incomes, Salaries and Wages Commission (NISWC).
Abdulwaheed Omar, NLC president, who spoke on the outcome of the emergency meeting, disclosed that the three-day warning strike would be followed by an indefinite nationwide strike if governments at the federal, state and local levels, as well as the private sector, fail to implement the new minimum wage as enacted.
“Given the non-implementation of the minimum wage by the federal, state and local governments, as well as the private sector, the Labour movement is left with no alternative but to defend the minimum wage law, the interest of working people and the fundamental right of the Nigerian people to live above poverty line.
“We also have a historical duty to hold government accountable to the people and ensure that governments at all levels obey the laws of the land. As a result of the above, the labour movement calls a three-day general strike across the country with effect from Wednesday, July 20, 2011 to Friday, July 22. The general strike will be against the federal, state and local governments as well as the private sector”, Omar said.
The NLC boss, who expressed regret over the ripple effects of the proposed strike action on the nation’s economy however noted that “the strike is avoidable as necessary steps could be taken before next Wednesday.”
After deliberating on the outcome of the meeting held with the Minister of Labour and Productivity, the union leaders berated Federal Government’s attempt to “make the new minimum wage implementation applicable to only workers on grade levels 01 to 06 in the federal service.
“We observe that the national minimum wage has national applicability and affects all workers, irrespective of sector or grade level. Therefore, both the payment table and the implementation circular presented by the federal government are rejected by the Congress.
“We had expected that the Federal Government would set a good example as a good employer by paying above this minimum base of N18,000. This would be in line with the Labour-Federal Government understanding in year 2000, that government, Lagos and oil producing states would pay higher than the minimum wage. This is because the Federal Government and these states paid a minimum wage of N7,500 which was higher than the legislated minimum wage of N5,500.”
In response to the directive, the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and other affiliate unions have directed all their members across the country to join the nationwide strike.
Joe Ajaero, NUEE general secretary told BusinessDay that the union would comply with the directive, noting however that the interest of the nation will also be put into consideration.
Richard Egbule, NISWC chairman observed that adjustment of the CONPSS will take effect from March 23, 2011, and that only workers on levels 01 to 06 are to benefit from the new minimum wage.
The circular read: “It should be noted that in the Federal Public Service, the minimum wage paid in each of the existing salary structures is above N18,000 per month. The only exception is the CONPSS which is currently N17,073 per month. Consequently, CONPSS has been adjusted for salary grade levels 01 to 06 only. Other salary structures in the federal public service remain the same.”