As the economy continues to recover from the devastating effects of the pandemic and other global economic shocks. Two weeks ago, the leadership of organized labor, which is made up of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), walked out on government representatives for offering Nigerian workers what they called a "paltry N48,000."
The Nigerian government, cognizant of the fact that the country's economy is still recuperating from the catastrophic consequences of the epidemic and other worldwide economic shocks, has issued a plea to organized labor and other pertinent stakeholders to be "considerate and patriotic in their demands."
During the May Day celebration, the leaderships of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) threatened to bring the nation's economy to a complete stop if the Nigerian government did not give workers a livable wage.
Shortly after the tripartite committee's negotiations on the minimum wage broke down, organized labor issued a harsh warning to the government, forcing the meeting to be postponed "sine die" (indefinitely).
Two weeks prior, the leadership of organized labor, which is made up of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), had walked out on the government representatives for providing what they called "paltry N48,000" to Nigerian workers.
A few days after the meeting broke down in impasse, government delegates raised the minimum salary to N54,000. This was a number that the members of the two labor centers objected to.
However, in a statement signed on Wednesday in Abuja by Mr. Olajide Oshundun, the ministry's director of press and public relations, the minister of state for labor and employment, Mrs. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, urged organized labor to be thoughtful and patriotic in their demands in the ongoing negotiations for a new national minimum wage.
According to the minister, the federal government has consistently moved to ensure that Nigerian workers receive a reasonable and equitable salary. She did, however, urge labor to acknowledge that the country's economy was still recovering from the pandemic's consequences and other forms of economic hardship.
She pointed out that the increase was evidence of the government's readiness to pay attention to labor issues and strive for a win-win solution.
As our economy continues to recover from the catastrophic impacts of the epidemic and other global economic shocks, we call on organized labor and other pertinent stakeholders to be thoughtful and patriotic in their demands.
"We are dedicated to prioritizing the welfare of the people and making sure that our economic Policies help all Nigerians, not just a chosen group of people.
The administration is still committed to putting the welfare of its people first, and it wants to encourage all concerned parties to show understanding and patriotism.
She stated, "This is especially during this crucial time when President Bola Tinubu is working hard to revitalise the economy."
As a result, the minister stated that the government acknowledged the complexity and diversity of the economic difficulties that Nigerians faced and that all parties involved needed to work together to find solutions. stating that our continued efforts to ensure that Nigerian workers receive a fair and reasonable salary represented a significant advancement with the meeting with organized labor.
"As a government, we understand how critical it is to guarantee that our residents get a respectable level of living, and we're determined to see this through to completion.
Following hours of heated bargaining, labor leaders promised to return to the negotiating table for additional discussion and took a break to confer with other important parties.
"We are happy to see this progress and hope that our ongoing efforts will result in success.
We have reduced our price from N57,000 to N60,000 as a concession in light of the present economic climate.
"We are aware of how difficult the current economic climate is, and we are making every effort to lessen its impact on the people of our country.
"This government has decided to go down this road, and we won't turn around or veer off course.
"President Tinubu has dedicated himself wholeheartedly to raise everyone's standard of living in Nigeria and revitalize the economy.
"He sincerely wants to alleviate poverty, boost economic growth, and create jobs. We encourage everyone to join him in this endeavor.
"To make sure that our economic policies are inclusive and advantageous to everyone, we will continue to engage with organized labor and other stakeholders as we move forward," she continued.
Comments
Post a Comment