The Federal Government is set to announce the new minimum wage as the Tripartite Committee completes its assignment.
The outcome of the Tripartite Committee has been submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Mr Ayuba Wabba, President of Nigeria Labour Congress, made this known while speaking with newsmen on Monday in Abuja.
According to him, the committee used two days to reconvene and deliberate on a new minimum wage that was acceptable to all employers of labour in the country.
“I want to assure workers that all has been concluded and will be passed for signing within the week.
“I also want to appreciate the Organised Private Sector, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and Nigeria Employers Consultative Association for their resolve to pay the new minimum wage when it is signed into law,” he said.
Tag: NLC
-
FG set to announce new minimum wage – NLC
-
New minimum wage will take effect this year, NLC assures Nigerian workers
Peter Ozo-Esan, General Secretary, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has assured Nigerians workers of the payment of the reviewed minimum wage before the end of 2018.
Mr Ozo-Esan gave this assurance in an interview with newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja.
According to him, in spite of the delay caused by the Sallah break, the tripartite committee involved with the review of the wage will conclude its work on September 4 and 5.
“We believe that the initial expectation that by September a new minimum wage should come on board, we think that the government still should be able to deliver that to Nigerians.
“Nigerian workers will continue to demand that from the government and as soon as this report is submitted government should do the needful before the National Assembly, because that is the process.
“We expect that the National Assembly will play its part in speedily considering the bill that will be placed before it and do everything possible for Nigerian workers to have a new minimum wage.’’
On the concerns raised by state governors, Mr Ozo-Esan stressed that it was not for them to determine what to pay, but that as employers they must comply with the minimum wage as approved by law.
“Minimum wage is not fixed for government, it is fixed for employers across the economy whether government or private employer, the law will require you to pay the minimum wage.
“What state governments want does not matter, because this is not a political matter; the minimum wage is the barest minimum that any worker must earn and no employer can go below that.’’ he added.
The NLC secretary general stressed that state governments mismanaging their funds have no excuse not to pay salaries, adding that Nigerian must start demanding for dividends of democracy from their leaders.
“We urge our members to get their voter cards and vote out governors who have shown incapacity to govern,” he added.
-
Ekiti salary crisis: NLC, TUC impose 10-year ban on two Labour leaders
…Unions remain dissolved,’ says banned officials
Crisis rocking the Labour movement in Ekiti State deepened on Monday as the state councils of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress (TUC) imposed a ten-year ban on immediate past chairmen, Mr. Ayodeji Aluko and Mr. Kolawole Olaiya, from trade unionism.
The ten-year ban was imposed on the duo for leading a protest and shutdown of the State Secretariat last Thursday in protest against the arrears of salaries owed workers by the state government.
Acting on the auspices of Ekiti Workers Rescue Team, Aluko, Olaiya and other labour leaders declared an indefinite strike and passed a resolution dissolving NLC and TUC executives led by Mr. Ade Adesanmi and Mr. Odunayo Adesoye respectively.
Rising from an emergency congress held at Labour House, Ado-Ekiti on Monday and attended by affiliate unions, the union leaders insisted that Aluko and Olaiya lacked powers to declare strike and dissolve excos of the unions having finished their terms.
Addressing reporters at the end of the congress, NLC Chairman, Adesanmi, urged security agencies to call Aluko and Olaiya to order accusing the duo of working as agents of destabilization.
Adesanmi said: “The illegal activities of the aforementioned ex-labour leaders acting under the guise of Ekiti Workers Rescue Team came to a climax on Thursday, August 23 when they gathered thugs and molested workers who were carrying out their legitimate and lawful duties.
“There is need to ask them whose interest were they protecting, because they didn’t act when workers were owed over eight month salaries. They have never engaged the government to pay pensioners but they only woke up after the July 14 governorship election.
“Sometimes ago, an administrative panel was set up by the outgoing government of Governor Ayodele Fayose against Comrade Aluko and found him guilty of participating in electioneering in 2015, which was against public service rule. It was the same unions that intervened and ensured that he was pardoned.
“It is no more news that Comrade Aluko was promoted to the position of Director of Administration at the local government ahead of his seniors and the government looked at this and reverted him to the rightful position. It was clear that this ex-labour leader is aggrieved. But must he hide under non-payment of salary to get at the government?
“How could labour leaders gathered thugs and pronounced the entire labour structure dissolved. Were they State Executive Council of the labour unions? The two of them are not members of SEC, where now did they derive such powers.
“With their actions of recent, it is clear that they were only clearing coast for political appointments from the incoming government and not fighting the interest of workers.
“Following these, they are declared persona non grata in labour circle and they are banned from labour activities for a period of ten years”, he said.
Reacting to the ban, Aluko maintained that Adesanmi and Adesoye have been proscribed from acting in their positions by workers, having failed to fight for the rights of those that voted them into their respective offices.
Aluko said Adesoye’s tenure as TUC chairman had lapsed in July, saying he lacked the locus standi to preside over a meeting where any member will be suspended or barred.
He said: “Can any labour leaders who has been described a persona non grata by the entire workforce preside over a meeting and suspend any member?
“Two, is the fact that the two labour leaders (Adesanmi and Adesoye) have lost their values. They are enjoying the support of the government, so they can decide to take illegal actions pending the time another government will ascend the throne.
“But let me say this, workers will send them out of the secretariats by the time this government leaves. TUC Chairman had served out his term, while that of NLC will end in February.
“I want to assure Adesanmi that he will be the first NLC chairman that won’t complete his term in Ekiti. What he is doing is anti-labour and he shall pay dearly for it.”
-
NLC urges Ajimobi to compensate Ayefele over demolished Music House
The Nigeria Labour Congress has asked the Governor Abiola Ajimobi-led Oyo State Government to immediately compensate ace musician, Yinka Ayefele, for demolishing his Music House last week.
In a statement by its President, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, the NLC called on the state government to tender an unreserved apology to the musician.
The statement read in part, “It is a shame that the government is killing this dream in a state with a reputation for individual industry and commerce.
“In light of the foregoing, we call on the government to tender an unreserved apology to Mr Yinka Ayefele, compensate him for his losses as well as promise to be of good behaviour to its citizens.”
Describing the demolition as malicious and ill-advised, the union wondered why the state government went ahead to demolish the building despite a subsisting court order.
The NLC said it is unfortunate that at a time when most state governments cannot pay salaries, the government could go ahead to destroy a business which is providing employment and creating wealth for its people.
The union advised Ajimobi to change his arrogant style of leadership.
It added, “This level of impunity is not acceptable to us and cannot be tolerated in any civilised society. We believe the government acted maliciously and with clear intent to cause grievous injury and hurt, the motive of which it has yet to make public.
“Smarting from the round condemnation of the state’s criminal conduct, the Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, in a remorseless outburst gloated that curses placed on him in respect of this matter would not affect him.
“We consider this as another level of impunity and pettiness unbecoming of a governor and a clear demonstration of lack of capacity to manage public outrage. He should bury his head in shame.
“We hope and pray Governor Ajimobi experiences a rebirth, rediscovers his humanity as well as reconnects with his people in service and humility instead of opening a new war front every other day!”
-
Minimum wage: New structure not feasible soonest – Ngige
Chris Ngige, Nigeria’s Minister of Labour and Employment has said the new minimum wage structure will not come into place any time soon.
TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports the Minister made this known while speaking with reporters in Anambra State.
According to Ngige, State Governors are yet to submit their proposal on the new wage system and that without a proposal from the governors, there cannot be an agreement on a new wage structure.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had proposed a minimum wage of N56,000, but employers under the umbrella of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association rejected the proposal.
Ngige, the deputy chairman of the 30-man Tripartite Committee on the minimum wage set up by President Muhammadu Buhari last November said that although the Tripartite Commmitte would conclude its assignment this month, the delay by the governors to submit their proposal would halt the action.
“I am the deputy chairman (of the committee); I drive it. We have a timetable and we will finish everything about it this end of August, but it is not attainable anymore because even in the committee we have not all finished dotting all the i’s and agreeing on a figure
“We couldn’t agree on a figure because of two reasons, partly the state governors have not come up with a figure and the state governors are a critical constituent of this discussion. They have six governors in the committee, one from each geo-political zone
“So the Governors Forum has not come up with their figure. They say they are still working on it. That was the last submission they made to us and the federal government team. We are working through the Economic management team.
“The Economic management team dictates the economy of the country and they will now take whatever the governors say and fine-tune with that of the federal government, so that is where we are.
“The national minimum wage tripartite committee is still at work, and is until it brings out its figures, brings out its recommendations pertaining to the national minimum wage. It is only after that that a Bill can be sent to the National Assembly for processing and be sent to Mr. President for assent and for it to become a National Minimum Wage Act,” he said.
-
MTN breaks silence, speaks on NLC’s picketing, alleged casualisation of workers
The Human Resource Executive of MTN Nigeria, Esther Akinnukawe, has denied that the telecommunications company engaged casual employees.
“We do not have casual employees in MTN; I am not aware that MTN engages in casualisation.
“The company partners with `service providers’ to recruit workers,’’ Akinnukawe told journalists on Wednesday on the third day of MTN picketing by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
She fielded questions from journalists in Lagos at the MTN Nigeria Headquarters, Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos, which has been under lock and key due to the picketing.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NLC accused MTN of employing workers on casual basis.
The organised labour also alleged that the company prevented its employees from belonging to unions.
Akinnukawe told journalists that outsourcing was being mistaken for casualisation, adding that all MTN workers were full-fledged staff.
She said that NLC should dialogue with `service providers’ on how to resolve any employment issue.
According to the official, use of `service providers’ in employment was in line with international best practices.
The human resources executive said that the Ministry of Labour and Employment licensed operations of such service providers.
Meanwhile, the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, has denied the allegation that the congress destroyed MTN property while picketing the multinational company.
“We do not intend to do so, as that is not our objective. We are clear about our objectives, and we shall not allow anything to distract us.
“We are responsible workers and alive to our responsibilities,’’ he told journalists on the third day of the picketing in Lagos.
He said that NLC had been peaceful and orderly in the picketing.
The labour leader urged MTN Nigeria to respect workers’ right to freely associate, in line with constitutional provisions, adding that the congress was committed to ensuring freedom of association for Nigerian workers.
Wabba had on Monday said: “In MTN, all the workers are casual, they have no right to social protection; they are not allowed to freely bargain for a better work condition.
“A worker is sacked after working for about three to four months. The worker is asked to reapply. This is unfair, and we will not continue to allow it.’’
He said that the NLC, Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), relevant unions and MTN management from from South Africa held a bilateral meeting in Abuja but could not reach an agreement.
“NLC told MTN to respect Nigeria labour laws but they refused; that is why workers are impoverished. We do not expect this treatment because it is a multinational company,’’ he said.
The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) had in a statement in Lagos alleged that the picketing was an intentional attempt to frustrate efforts to provide seamless telecommunications.
ATCON alleged in the statement signed by its Executive Secretary, Ajibola Olude, that NLC was violent in the picketing.
“ATCON thinks if NLC wants to do anything at all, it should have peacefully carried out its picketing.
“Our members are law-abiding corporate organisations that have been contributing to the wealth of Nigeria,’’ it said.
-
NLC shutdowns MTN offices nationwide over alleged stringent policies
The Nigeria Labour Congress on Monday disrupted activities of MTN Nigeria in protest against non-unionisation of its workers.
The leadership of the union and other members barricaded the head office of the company in Lagos on Monday for about eight hours, preventing workers from carrying out their daily duties.
The protesters, led by the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, gained access into the MTN office in Lagos around 6am and reportedly replicated the labour action simultaneously nationwide.
Ayuba said the picketing was a follow-up to the Oct 7, 2017 picketing of MTN office in Abuja.
“There are a lot of anti-labour practices which the company is practising among which is that they have denied the workers to freedom of association and denied them the right to collective bargaining. No violence was recorded; it was very peaceful,” he said.
The Lagos State NLC Chairman, Idowu Adelakun, said the union would picket Glo, Airtel and 9mobile as well, for their refusal to allow workers to join the labour movement.
He said the action at MTN offices would continue until workers in the company were allowed to join the labour union and new executive members elected.
“Anywhere we see that workers have been denied their rights to be unionised, we know those companies are not prepared to negotiate any good wages for the workers. If MTN had responded, we would have stopped the action today. We will continue to be there until they listen to the voice of the people,” Adelakun said.
MTN Nigeria, in a statement signed by its Corporate Relations Executive, Tobechukwu Okigbo, registered its displeasure at the destruction of its property.
He added that the company was not against freedom of association as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution.
He said, “Today’s violence and the needless destruction of property are deeply saddening. As always our primary concern is the safety and well-being of our employees, some of whom were attacked by supposed NLC operatives and have sustained injuries.
“We do not prevent our employees from associating amongst themselves as they deem fit and owe our employees the obligation to ensure they are not compelled to join associations. MTN supports the freedom of association as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution.
“All workers have rights that should be protected. We work hard to not only ensure that this is done but also that our company is a great place to work. We will continue to champion our peoples’ rights, whether they are part of a union or not and work hard to minimise disruptions in service to our customers.”
-
Strike: Cross River threatens no work no pay
Cross Rivers state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Joe Abang, has said the State will invoke the no work no pay policy of the federal government over a planned strike by Ministry of Justice workers.
TheNewsGuru reports workers in the state ministry of justice under the aegis of Law Officers Association of Nigeria (LOAN) planned on shutting down the ministry of justice on Monday the 2nd of July 2018.
The workers are claiming the Government of CRS has approved but not implemented the harmonization of their salaries with that of Judicial Officers in the Magistrate cadre.
The Justice Commissioner in a statement on Sunday said, “This issue is in the 2018 Budget and presently being handled by the HOS Barr Ekpenyong Henshaw and the Accountant General of CRS”.
He further stated that “The SA Labour to the Governor has said this group is not part of NLC and TUC and therefore cannot declare a strike against a Governor who has performed creditably well!”
“We, therefore, urge the general public and the service to ignore anybody claiming to or purporting to be in support of this group. Our Digital Governor remains open to negotiations in this respect.
“But the Attorney General and commissioner for justice CRS will not hesitate to implement the “No work No pay policy” of the Federal government should the need arise,” he added.
-
Rivers Govt. gives N3.6 billion to SMEs, civil servants
The Rivers state government has approved an annual interest-free loan disbursement to the tune of N3,600,000,000.00 (three billion, six hundred thousand naira) for small businesses and civil servants in the State.
The State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, made this known in an address during the 2018 Workers Day celebrations in Port Harcourt, where he also charged the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to occupy Nigeria.
“We have approved an interest-free revolving loan scheme for civil servants. The annual sum earmarked for this programme is N1,200,000,000.00 (one billion two hundred naira) only, with a monthly disbursement of N100,000,000.00 (one hundred million naira only).
“We have also approved another interest-free loan for owners of small businesses to access to enhance their businesses, create jobs and grow the economy. An annual sum of N2, 400,000,000.00 (two billion four hundred million) only, has been set-aside for this purpose with a monthly disbursement of N200, 000,000.00 (two hundred million naira) only,” the Governor said.
He said the State is investing in building a strong economy that will enable workers earn decent wages, empower entrepreneurs to create jobs and provide improved livelihood opportunities for Rivers people.
The governor said that his administration is already working to fix some of the subsisting challenges, including the contributory pension scheme, the contributory health insurance scheme and the payment of gratuities to retired civil servants.
At the Workers Day celebration, the Governor also announced a donation of N100 million to the NLC and the TUC and said the State Government will construct State Secretariats for the different labour unions.
In her address, the Rivers State Chairman of the NLC, Mrs Beatrice Otubo commended Governor Wike for his regular payment of salaries and pensions.
ALSO READ | Gov. Wike urges NLC, TUC to ‘Occupy Nigeria’
She urged the governor to take steps to resolve the challenges surrounding the contributory pension scheme and gratuity to retired civil servants. The labour leader also commended the Governor for his outstanding developmental strides.
Chairman of the TUC in Rivers State, Mr Austin Jonah lauded the Rivers State Governor for his numerous infrastructural and development projects across the state.
The Workers Day was marked by parade by all the affiliate trade unions in the state, with Governor Wike taking the official salute.
-
Gov. Wike urges NLC, TUC to Occupy Nigeria
Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has declared the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have failed Nigerians by refusing to act in the face of unbridled killings of defenceless Nigerians across the country.
The Rivers State Governor made the declaration in an address during the 2018 Workers Day celebrations in Port Harcourt and said it is not in national interest for labour to be only concerned about salary increment when their kith and kin are mauled to death on a daily basis.
“Labour is only after the increment of wages and emoluments without showing concern for the mass killings going on across different states of the Federation.
“Labour is quiet in the face of deaths. Of what benefit will increment of salaries be when all your children, friends and relatives are killed in the course of this national insecurity?
“It is incumbent on labour to rise up in defence of Nigerians by demanding for immediate cessation of killings,” Wike said.
He stressed that labour has a duty to work towards the progress of Nigeria as they battle for their welfare, saying labour must rekindle their pre-2015 posture when they participated in occupy Nigeria during the Jonathan era.
The governor urged labour to defend the nation’s democracy which is under threat by the failure of the APC Federal Government to respect the rule of law and democratic tenets.
“Be vigilant and defend our democracy in 2019. That is what labour is known for. Labour thrives under democracy. Without democracy, labour will run into challenges,” he said.
ALSO READ | Wike makes N100m donation to NLC, TUC; approves N3.6bn for SMEs, civil servants