On Wednesday, the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress walked away from minimum wage discussions after the Federal Government proposed N48,000, far below the unions’ demand of N615,000 as the new national minimum wage.
After abandoning the talks, the irate labour leaders held an emergency press conference, calling the offer an “insult to the sensibilities of Nigerian workers.”
This was the second breakdown in negotiations within two weeks, the previous session on April 29 also deadlocking over labour’s insistence on N615,000.
The Federal Government rejected the union’s demand as unreasonable.
NLC President Joe Ajaero said the N615,000 demand was based on an analysis of the current economic situation and the needs of an average Nigerian family of six.
Ajaero broke down the figures, including housing (N40,000), electricity (N20,000), utilities (N10,000), and food (N270,000). He said the total living wage of N615,000 is necessary to prevent workers from borrowing to survive.
In contrast, the organised private sector proposed N54,000, and Ajaero blamed both the government and the private sector for the negotiation breakdown, describing the N48,000 offer as significantly inadequate.
He criticized the government for not providing data to support its proposal, undermining the negotiation’s credibility.
Ajaero concluded that labour remains committed to advocating for Nigerian workers’ rights and urged the government to reconsider its position and return to the negotiation table.
The Presidency and Minister of Information were unavailable for comment at the time of this report. President Tinubu had earlier inaugurated a 37-member Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage to develop a new national minimum wage.
The committee, comprising federal and state governments, private sector, and labour representatives, is expected to reach a resolution and submit its report promptly. Zonal public hearings have been held, with varied proposals for the new minimum wage from different regions.
Following the walkout, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association urged labour leaders to return to negotiations, describing the walkout as unfortunate and counterproductive.
Experts and labour advocates highlighted the need for a dignified living wage, emphasizing that the proposed N48,000 is insufficient given the current economic situation. They also urged labour to ensure worker productivity and performance are appraised and reviewed regularly.
