LAGOS— ORGANISED Labour, yesterday, issued a December 31
deadline to the Federal Government to send a draft bill on the new
national minimum wage to the National Assembly for passage into
law to avoid a nationwide strike in 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, the Organised Labour
also rejected the Federal Government’s plan to set up another
high-powered Technical Committee on the new minimum wage,
describing it as “diversionary and delay tactics.”
In a communiqué signed Ayuba Wabba, Bobboi Kaigama and Joe
Ajaero, President of NLC, TUC and ULC, respectively, they
threatened a nationwide strike from January 2, 2019, should the
Federal Government fail to send the a draft bill on the new
national minimum wage to NASS before December 31, 2018.
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 is planning to set up a high-powered
Technical Committee which is alien to the tripartite process and
International Labour Organization, ILO, conventions 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.”
