N18,000 non-negotiable, NLC tells Ondo labour leaders

BY DAYO JOHNSON
AKURE—NATIONAL leaders of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Thursday, met with the Ondo State council and declared that the N18, 000 Minimum Wage was not negotiable.

The labour leaders also insisted that the commencement date for the new wage was from April this year, even as the state council of NLC explained that the agreement it signed with the government was on salary relativity and not on the minimum wage.

Deputy President of NLC and National Chairman of the Joint Negotiating Council JNC, Comrade Kiri Mohammed led other national leaders to Akure to sort out differences over N14.000 wage increase recently agreed to between Ondo government and labour leaders in the state.

Mohammed, accompanied by Congress Acting General Secretary, Comrade Owei Lakemfa among others, told newsmen after a meeting with the state council, that the state council erred by lumping the issue of relativity and minimum wage together in the agreement.

He said however, that the council had apologized for the error and insisted that the N18, 000 minimum wage “is a law that cannot be negotiated by any state chapter.”

Mohammed said the agreement between the state government and the JNC was on salary relativity of N14, 000 that had been implemented by some states of the federation before now.

He said, “While the agreement on relativity should be maintained, the N18, 000 minimum wage is a law that must be implemented by everybody, ability to pay does not arise because the governors knew that had the ability to pay before signing the law.

The labour leaders in Ondo state have affirmed that the N18, 000 is a law and must be implemented with effect from April, 2011, the Ondo state JNC will therefore worked with the NLC to realize the payment of the N18, 000 minimum wage”.