Nigeria: New Pay – NLC Gives Two Week Ultimatum

Francis Okeke

1 July 2011

The central labour unions Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) yesterday handed down a two weeks’ ultimatum to all tiers of government to start immediate implementation of the new national minimum wage of N18,000 or face a total shutdown of the country.

NLC President Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar and TUC’s President General Comrade Peter Esele said at a joint press briefing at the Labour House in Abuja that some state governors were thwarting the genuine desire of their colleagues who were willing to pay the new wage deal signed by President Goodluck Jonathan about three months ago.

The two central labour unions also reiterated their opposition to the call for the removal of oil subsidies as recently demanded by the governors. They also kicked against attempts by governors to tie the implementation of the new wage to a new revenue allocation formula for the three tiers of government.

According to them, “having reviewed the state of respect of the minimum wage Law, we have come to the sad realization that no level of Government has implemented the law, be it Federal, State or Local governments, in spite of the law coming into effect since March 2011.

“In the case of the Federal Government, the Salaries and Wages Commission has been unable and or unwilling to produce a table for implementation to Federal Public Servants, and so the Federal Government has not implemented the law.

“On the part of the State Governments, while some are showing indication of wanting to pay, others that want to violate the constitution and the Law are inclined to blackmailing their colleagues. The Governors Forum in a show of reckless insensitivity to the plight of the Nigerian people has introduced strange elements into the scene, geared at subverting the process.

“Firstly the issue of new Revenue Allocation Formula, which requires Constitutional Amendment to achieve, has been totted to be condition precedent to implementation of the minimum wage. We find this as laughable and completely unacceptable as the Law is clear and unambiguous. All stakeholders were party to the formulation of the law and we know for a fact that they can pay the N18,000 minimum wage.”

They added that “the sadistic introduction of the oil subsidy argument is essentially asking government to increase the prices of petroleum products and further impoverish the mass of our people. Again we reject this, and state unequivocally that there can be no conditionalities for payment of the new minimum wage.

“Labour will never succumb to the blackmail of the masses to accept an increase in fuel prices. Any attempt to increase the prices of petrol in guise of deregulation will be resisted, and organized labour is willing, ready and capable of leading the Nigeria people on mass resistance against such unprovoked, unpatriotic move.

“Our attention has also been drawn to the fact that some state governors are applying the twin evil tools of intimidation and timid compromise on the workers leadership in their states by threatening mass sack and high taxation. We hereby serve notice that any state government that indulges in this or induces an illicit agreement to pay less than N18,000 will have to contend with a most robust form of resistance ever in the annals of workers solidarity in our country.”

The strike action which according to them is going to be total and indefinite will involve both public and private sector unionists who have already been mandated by the leadership of organised labour to begin immediate sensitization and mobilisation.

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