The General Secretary of the
Nigeria Labour Congress, Dr Peter Ozo-Eson, said on Saturday that the Federal
Government and labour representatives on the technical committee set up to
negotiate consequential increase arising from the new minimum wage would resume
negotiation this week.
After negotiation broke down
between the government and labour on what workers at various grade levels would
get as salary increase, the NLC, Trade Union Congress and the Joint National
Public Service Negotiation Council wrote separate letters to the Secretary to
the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, complaining of introduction of
new terms of reference by the Federal Government team that were not in the
document presented by the SGF when he inaugurated the negotiating committee on
May 14, 2019.
On Wednesday, the SGF and
representatives of JNPSNC met in Abuja where issues that led to the breakdown
of negotiation were discussed.
While the Federal Government
representatives in the technical committee had proposed 9.5 per cent salary
increase for workers on Grade Levels 07 to 14 and five per cent increase for
employees on Grade Levels 15 to 17, labour representatives were demanding 30
per cent salary increase for workers on Grade Levels seven to 14 and 25 per
cent for workers on Grade Levels 15 to 17.
In an exclusive interview with
our correspondent, Ozo-Eson said, “We wrote a letter to the SGF. We understand
he is stepping in and negotiation will reconvene during the week.”
Also in an interview with our
correspondent on Saturday, President of TUC, Quadri Olaleye, said the union
would not support lowered demands during negotiation. He said labour’s demands
from the Federal Government were not outrageous, blaming the Federal
Government’s representatives for not coming up with what he described as a
reasonable proposal.
He said, “TUC will not support
lowering labour demands on the issue of the new minimum wage. We have to
understand clearly that labour unions are not greedy in their demands. We don’t
have to make a demand that will make governance difficult. But we have to
recognise negotiation and understanding on both sides.
“If the Federal Government through its
representatives on the technical committee that is negotiating consequential
increase in labour wages comes up with a reasonable percentage increase, even
if it does not favour labour, I don’t think we will have any option but to show
understanding because of the present situation about the nation’s economy. It
is not compulsory that all requests must be granted but it must be reasonable
and there must be understanding before an agreement will be signed and sealed
in a document.”
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