Organised Labour has given the Federal Government a deadline of December 31 to send a draft bill on the new national minimum wage to the National Assembly.
The union threatened that if government does not do this, a nationwide strike will commence on the second day of the new year.
At a national leadership meeting of leaders of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, and United Labour Congress of Nigeria, ULC, held in Lagos, plans by the Federal Government’s to set up another high-powered Technical Committee on the new minimum wage, were also rejected by the organised labour who described it as “diversionary and delay tactics.”
In a communiqué signed by Ayuba Wabba, Bobboi Kaigama and Joe Ajaero, President of NLC, TUC and ULC, respectively, they released a threat that a nationwide strike would begin on January 2, 2019, if the Federal Government refused to do their biddings.
President Muhammadu Buhari has disclosed that a bill that will ensure the implementation of the new minimum wage for Nigerian Workers would soon be sent to the National Assembly.
The NLC had also urged state governors to include provisions for the payment of the new minimum wage in their respective 2019 budget estimates to show commitment to the implementation of the new minimum wage regime.
Reading the communiqué on behalf of the three Labour Centres, Wabba said: “almost two months of the submission of the report of the National Minimum Wage Tripartite Committee’s report which included a draft bill, no bill has been submitted to the National Assembly for passage into law.
The federal government has stated that it will set up a high-powered Technical Committee committeee different from the tripartite committee on National Minimum Wage setting mechanism.
“The National Minimum Wage Committee was both Technical and all-encompassing in its compositions. The National Minimum Wage is not only for public sector workers, but for all workers both private and public.”
The communiqué reads: “Consequently, the meeting resolves as follows that the Federal Government is expected to transmit the New National Minimum Wage Bill to the National Assembly on or before December 31, 2018.
“We reject in its entirety the plan by the federal government to set up another high-powered technical Committee on the new national minimum wage. It is diversionary and a delay tactics.
“Nigerian workers are urged to be vigilant and prepared to campaign and vote against candidates and Political Parties who are not supportive of the implementation of the New National Minimum Wage. Finally Organised Labour will not guarantee industrial Peace and harmony if after the 31st of December 2018, the Draft Bill is not transmitted to the National Assembly.”
“This serves as a statutory notice for Organised Labour to recall our suspended Nation-wide Industrial action.”