Members of the organized labour under the aegis of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have entered into dialogue with Ecobank over the Bank’s non-renewal of the contract of its third party recruitment agencies.
The dialogue, which commenced yesterday is expected to be completed today. A source at the meeting confirmed that officials of both bodies had fruitful discussions and was optimistic that a deal would be sealed at the end of today meeting
It would be recalled that officials of NLC in collaboration with its affiliate Nigeria Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institution Employees (NUBIFIE) had picketed the head office of Ecobank on Victoria Island on Thursday over what they called non consultation before Ecobank severed relationship with the contract workers, a development they said had thrown some of their members into the labour market.
However, Ecobank management in a statement maintained that it did not disengage its staff, stressing that the bank decided not to renew the contract of its third party recruitment agencies which expired recently and as such returned this category of personnel back to these agencies who were their employers.
The Bank had maintained that it was part its business strategy to invest in the employment of full time graduates, as over 300 graduates were currently undergoing training at the its state of the art Academy which was recently accredited by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), adding that they were to be absorbed into the system at the end of their training as permanent staff.
The statement pointed out that “as a demonstration of the Bank’s concern and compassion for the affected personnel of our contractors, palliative measures were put in place by the Bank to cushion the effect on them: These include payment of contract cessation packages of over half a billion Naira already paid through their employers as well as opportunity given to those with requisite qualification to apply to the Bank for permanent employment.”
It added that the Bank also offered them the opportunity to become Xpress point agents of Ecobank as a way of further providing them entrepreneurial and financial empowerment.
The Bank further reiterated that it would continue to align its people composition, development, recognition and rewards to position us as best practice service model in the industry, delivering superior customer service and experience across our network.
Tag: Labour
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Labour dialogues Ecobank over mass sack of contract staff
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Minimum wage: Trouble looms as labour threatens strike
The Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council and the eight unions in the public service across the country on Monday said its members would embark on industrial action over what they observed as Federal Government’s insistent effort to derail the implementation of the new national minimum wage of N30,000.
In statement signed by the Acting Chairman of the JNPSNC, Anchaver Solomon, and the Secretary, Alade Lawal, the council said it had started the course of mobilising its members nationwide for a showdown with the government.
The statement read, “Operating under the aegis of the Trade Union Side of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, the eight unions in the public service of the federation and 36 states have alerted Nigerians that labour may have to embark on industrial action if the current state of affairs as regards the issue of consequential adjustment arising from the new national minimum wage of N30,000.00 per month remains the same.
“Since the committee set up early this month by the government to work out the consequential adjustments arising from the new national minimum wage of N30,000.00 started to meet, government has been coming up with one strange proposal or the other, all with the intent of scuttling the implementation of the new national minimum wage signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday, April 18, 2019. As things are right now, the government’s side is only prepared to pay peanuts to workers as adjustment under the pretext that it will soon be undertaking general salary review in the public service.”
The statement added, “Labour leaders had initially proposed that since the minimum wage was increased by 66.66 per cent, i.e. from N18,000.000 to N30,000.00, salaries for officers on grade levels 01-17 should be adjusted accordingly to maintain the relativity that exists in the salary structure in the public service.
“But when the government side argued that such increase across board would raise the total wage bill too high, the Trade Union side reviewed its demand downward and eventually settled for 30 per cent for officers on grade levels 07-14 and 25 per cent for those on grade levels 15-17. The government side on its part was insisting on 9.5 per cent salary raise for employees on grade levels 07-14 and five per cent for those on grade levels 15-17.
“We received a rude shock at the last meeting of the technical committee when the government side began to hold on to a non-existent position that the technical committee’s terms of reference was to base its assignment in respect of salary adjustment on what was provided for the subject in the 2019 budget. This is very incorrect and unfortunate.”
The workers also blamed politicians for frustrating their efforts to receive a better pay package, saying the only way to evade possible nationwide strike was for government to be sincere and open in its negotiation.
“This is why the eight trade unions in the public service have resolved that enough is enough and that if the FG fails to caution its officials and direct them to negotiate openly, millions of workers at the federal and 36 states will have no other alternative but to take some necessary trade union actions to seek redress.”
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Minimum wage: Makinde kicks as Ajimobi negotiates with labour today
The Oyo State government will today open discussions with labour leaders on the modalities for the implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage, it was learnt yesterday.
It is coming on the heels of Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s promise to workers that they would enjoy the new pay as soon as the Federal Government approves it.
The minimum wage was signed into law by President Muhammad Buhari on April 18.
The government sent notice of the meeting to the labour leaders following the conduct of their congress, which produced Comrade Titiola Sodo as state chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).
The message was signed by the Information Commissioner, Mr. Toye Arulogun.
But, the Governor-elect, Seyi Makinde, cautioned Ajimobi’s administration against the negotiation.
Makinde, in a statement by his spokesperson, Prince Dotun Oyelade, “queried the intention and sincerity of the outgoing government to open negotiation with the labour unions about 30 days to the exit of the Ajimobi.
The governor-elect said there “is nothing the lame duck government wants to achieve other than to complicate things for the incoming government in exactly the same manner it is doing in awarding fresh contracts and rolling out largesse to fellow politicians and friends”.
Emphasising that he looks forward to a progressive relationship with the new Sodo-led NLC excos, Makinde warns against what he described as “any booby traps in the planned negotiation by the outgoing government”.
The governor-elect noted that he was satisfied with the level of the rapport he had with the NLC during and after the election and hope that this would be maintained as the new NLC executive assumes the mantle of leadership.
He reiterated his commitment towards ensuring that nothing short of the interest of workers would be acceptable to his administration.
Makinde applauded the rancour-free consensus that heralded the new chairman as a good sign that democratic maturity has always been a virtue of the NLC, saying he believes that the new NLC leadership is circumspect enough to understand the ongoing theatrics.
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Minimum Wage: We won’t accept anything below N30,000, Labour tells governors
Organised labour Thursday warned that no state chapter of the labour movement would accept any renegotiation for downward review of the already signed minimum wage law of N30,000 from any state governor.
The National President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Ayuba Wabba, made the declaration in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, while presiding over the election of new leadership of NLC in the state.
He stated that the Nigerian workers were under strict instructions not to accept any minimum wage less than N30,000 from the governors.
Wabba said the new minimum wage had become binding, having been approved by the two chambers of the National Assembly and signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said that the excuses by some governors that they could not pay the new wage was an afterthought and therefore untenable.
At the state NLC delegates conference, where the former Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities, Ekiti State University Branch, Mr. Olatunde Kolapo, was elected as the new state chairman, Wabba insisted that the new wage would not be compromised under any guise.
Kolapo emerged unopposed among other executive members that were elected.
Wabba, whose address was delivered by an Ex-officio member of the Congress, Maureen Onyia-Ekwuazi, said the Congress would not take anything short of N30,000 as minimum wage from state governors since it had become “a law binding on everybody”.
“Once the minimum wage bill has been signed by President Buhari it has become a law and we won’t allow any governor to circumvent the law.
“What we asked for was a living wage and we cannot allow anybody to shortchange our members,” he said.
Wabba urged the new labour leaders in the state to be resolute and committed in the struggle for improved welfare of their members, saying that should be done without compromise.Performing the opening ceremony, Governor Kayode Fayemi, who was represented by the Chief of Staff, Mr Biodun Omoleye, promised the readiness of state government to pay the N30,000 minimum wage.
The governor said the newly-elected leadership of the trade unions in the state would be invited soon for a meeting on the modalties for the payment.
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Labour to Buhari: Sign minimum wage bill immediately
The Nigeria Labour Congress on Wednesday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the new minimum wage bill.
The NLC said since the National Assembly approved the new minimum wage of N30,000 and passed it to the President for his assent nothing had been heard about it.
The union’s Head of Information and Public Affairs, Benson Upah, said workers would be grateful if Buhari signed the bill this month.
He said, “The President constituted a committee that worked on the figure that was submitted to him and he sent it to the National Assembly as an executive bill. Similarly, the National Assembly legislated on it and sent back to the President for his assent.
“We have no reason to doubt that the President will not sign it into law; his body language does not suggest that he will not sign it.
“We are hoping and waiting for him to do so. If you asked me when he should sign it, I would tell you that it should be immediately. We want him to sign it right away so that by May workers can earn the new salary. They have been waiting anxiously.”
The Trade Union Side arm of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council also called on Buhari to sign the bill.
Chairman of the union, Abdrafiu Adeniji and the Secretary, Alade Lawal, the TUS commended the National Assembly for passing the bill.
The statement read in part:“The tripartite committee on the minimum wage and the National Assembly have done a good job by approving N30,000 as the national minimum wage and accordingly deserve commendation.
“It is now left for the President to sign the bill into law and bring the minimum wage saga to a positive conclusion.
“The current N18,000 monthly minimum wage has become inadequate and workers are finding it extremely difficult to cope. This underscores the need for the President to sign into law the N30,000.000 National Minimum Wage Bill so the bodies that will work out the consequential adjustments arising from the new wage can be put in place.”
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CNPP begs labour to accept newly approved minimum wage
The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties ( CNPP ), Edo chapter, has appealed to the Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC ) to accept the N27, 000 new minimum wage endorsed by the National Council of State.
The Chairman of CNPP, Mr Roy Oribhabor, made the appeal on Wednesday in Benin.
He urged the NLC to accept the new minimum wage as matter of love and patriotism, in spite of the economic hardship being experienced in the country.
He emphasised that the appeal became necessary after a critical evaluation of the N27, 000 minimum wage in Nigeria as approved by the NCS.
“In as much as we know things are hard, we solicit for understanding because of the reality on ground today from some states.
“We commend the leaders of the NLC for the foresight and determination to provide acceptable wages for Nigerian workers,” Oribhabor said in a statement.
He also called on state governors to be more prudent with management and allocations of resources for the betterment of the people.
“Therefore, transparency and accountability should be their primary concern.
“Finally, we appeal to labour unions not to allow politicians to use them to advance their agenda to the detriment of the Nigerian State.
“This is the best time to show understanding and accept the minimum wage because the process of salaries increment is never an ending negotiation, hence our appeal,” he said.
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Minimum wage : FG, abour to reconvene Wednesday
The Federal Government says the meeting with the Organised Labour to prevent the threat of national industrial action over non transmission of the New National Minimum Wage Bill to the National Assembly will reconvene by 1p.m on Tuesday.
Sen. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment, said this while speaking with newsmen at the end of a closed door meeting with organised labour on Tuesday in Abuja.
The News The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the National Executive Council (NEC) of the NLC had threatened to embark on a nationwide protest on January 8, if the Federal Government fails to transmit the bill on minimum wage to the National Assembly.
The organised labour gave the threat following President Muhammadu Buhari’s statement that a “high powered technical committee” would be set up to device ways to ensure that minimum wage implementation did not lead to an increase in the level of borrowing.
According to Ngige, we have made progress and Tuesday, we will know the definite date when the bill will be transmitted to the National Assembly.
“It has been difficult to arrive at a date because there are processes to follow on the bill.
“We have to go to the Federal Executive Council with a council memo on the bill after that, we will go to the National Economic Council and the Council of State.
“But for the Council of State, the President has to look at his own time table and we will inform past Heads of State and Justice of the Federation. This can take two weeks.
“However, we are trying to see if we can accommodate all these meetings by next week because we cannot do Council of State meeting again this week.
“Immediately after that meeting (Council of State), we will transmit the bill,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr Ayuba Wabba, NLC President, said that organised labour had a useful discussion with the Federal Government.
He said that labour leaders had consulted and agreed to meet with the government on Tuesday by 1p.m to ensure that the processes for the transmission of the bill would be completed without further delay.
” We will surely go ahead with the mass protest nationwide on Wednesday.
“The protest is about implementation, it has no link with the transmission. We are trying to see how the bill will be transmitted to the National Assembly.
“The protest is about how to get all parties committed to the issue of minimum wage, it is different from how we get this bill transmitted with timeline to the national assembly,” he added.
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Minimum wage: FG, Labour meeting inconclusive, to reconvene on Monday
Negotiation between the Federal Government and organized labour on the N30,000 minimum wage remained inconclusive at the end of another round of meeting last night in Abuja.
Both sides are scheduled to reconvene on Monday to take a final decision on the grey areas.
Labour Minister, Chris Ngige, told reporters at the end of a five -hour long meeting yesterday that substantial progress had been made in the discussion and that all that is left is a final resolution.
Ngige said there was no deadlock as the two sides agreed on most of the issues tabled for discussion and only adjourned to allow for further consultations.
He said President Muhammadu Buhari wanted the issue thrashed out and he would not have set up the tripartite committee on the minimum wage if he was not interested in the matter in the first place.
Also speaking, NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, dismissed any idea that the meeting was deadlocked.
His words: “The meeting decided to adjourn and reconvene on Monday for us to do further consultations before the issues are concluded. We have discussed all the issues and all the grey areas, particularly how we can ensure that the issue is put behind us.
“That is why we took such a long time, including having a timeout to consult. But we have not been able to conclude and we have agreed to reconvene to tidy up the process.
“The issue at stake is to make sure that the bill is transmitted and also other auxiliary issues that government says they are trying to put together. We also want to see how the money gets into the pocket of our workers because a lot of economic factors have affected the current wage.
“But the major issue is that we have been able to have a meaningful social dialogue. But the process is not conclusive and will reconvene on Monday.
“Monday is not too far from now since today is Friday.”
He said the outcome of Monday’s meeting would determine whether labour would proceed with its planned rallies on Tueday.
Continuing, he said: “Part of the report that was submitted is all inclusive of the main report and draft bill. But those processes which they need to ensure that a clean bill is transmitted to the National Assembly and what they now termed some physical issues are what we will tidy up on Monday. So, let us wait for that Monday.”
The meeting started at about 12.50 pm with several breaks in between to allow for consultations with stakeholders including President Buhari.
The labour leaders insisted on a definite date when the government will transmit the minimum wage bill to the National Assembly, a decision the three ministers present could not take on their own.
Addressing the meeting earlier, Ngige said the President was committed to giving Nigerian workers a new minimum wage.
He said however that in addressing the issue, the government wanted to ensure that the new minimum wage was sustainable.
He said “I do realise that this is still part of the Christmas period and that people are still on holiday. You can see the two ministers in charge of government resources. The Minister of Budget and National Planning and the Minister of Finance. Mr. President specifically asked them to be part of this meeting. We had to cut short our vacation because of the need for us to discuss.
“You know that people can go to war when there is lack of information and in the process, people can misconstrue and speculate. We called this meeting as a result of the communique issued by the Joint Labour Centres after your executive meeting in Lagos when you informed government that you are not happy with the implementation processes of the report of the tripartite committee.”
President of the NLC, Comrade Aruba Wabba said the organised labour has always wanted all issues of industrial relations resolved through dialogue, adding that the issue on ground has nothing to do with money, but the process leading to the final outcome.
Wabba said “Clearly, we have always believed in social dialogue in resolving industrial relations issues. From the beginning of the issue of this new national minimum wage which was legally due in 2016, labour has demonstrated enough patience and understanding and has followed all the processes to make sure that we are able to dispense with this issue.”
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Minimum wage: Labour begins consultation, mobilisation ahead of Tuesday’s strike
The organised labour on Friday said it has started mobilisation of members ahead of the January 8 strike over payment of the agreed N30,000 New Minimum Wage.
A News Agency of Nigeria correspondent who visited some of the labour unions in Lagos gathered that workers had been informed on the strategic roles to play while awaiting further instructions.
NAN reports that the three labour bodies, the Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress of Nigeria and the United Labour Congress had met on December 20, 2018.
The organised labour had given the Federal Government on or before December 31, 2018 to submit the Tripartite Committee Report on the N30,000 minimum wage to the National Assembly or face strike.
NAN reports that labour suspended its national strike on the minimum wage about two months ago to enable the government to take a decisive action on it.
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Strikes: You are distracting my administration, Buhari tells ASUU, Labour, others
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday called on Labour Unions to allow his administration concentrate on fixing infrastructure in the country rather than distracting it.
He made the remark while playing host to the Executive Committee of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in the State House, Abuja.
Buhari, in a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said “In three and a half years, we have improved tremendously on what we met. We are trying to do infrastructure.
“No matter which part of the country you come from, you will see the efforts we are making in terms of roads; we are trying to fix rails, we are trying to do power, through the use of gas and solar. If you note what we have done in these three and a half years, you will not regret voting this administration into power.”
President Buhari also said that Nigeria was doing very well in agriculture as the country was about to attain food sufficiency and security.While calling on the students to continue to plead with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the President assured that he will speak with the lecturers’ body “so that they don’t encroach on your efforts to qualify in time.”
President Buhari said that he had explained in details while presenting the 2019 budget estimates, the earnings and expenditure and therefore expected the elite to understand the position of the government on certain issues, adding that it is the responsibility of the government to look after the employed as well as the unemployed.
The President urged the youths to start preparing themselves to lead the country.
He said “There is a tendency for you to think that you can do better than anybody, but it is very good for you to know the facts that leadership entails.”
He assured Labour leaders that, having been in positions of leadership at various stages in life, and with the experience, he means well for Nigerians and indeed, workers, and should be allowed to fix infrastructure so that more Nigerians could be taken out of the poverty cycle.“I am totally loyal to this country. Whatever I do is in the interest of the ordinary people especially those who do not have the benefit of being educated like you, and are just trusting whoever is leading them,” he said.
Buhari expressed gratitude to the students for appreciating some of the things his administration has been able to put in place and called on them to mobilise support for government, as it strives to make Nigeria a better place.
Speaking earlier, the students, led by the president, Comrade Danielson Bamidele Akpan, had expressed appreciation of the efforts of the administration, especially in the transformation of the transportation sector as well as the decimation of terrorists in the Northeast.
They, however, requested the government to intervene in the incessant strikes in the education sector; involve more youths in governance, and look into the plight of students in different institutions who have been expelled for ‘political’ reasons.