Organised Labour under the United Labour Congress (ULC) has called on the federal government to accept to pay N65,000 as the new minimum wage before the 14-day ultimatum ends on Wednesday or be ready to face the anger of Nigerian workers.
ULC President, Joe Ajaero who spoke on Monday in Lagos said with two days to the end of the ultimatum government is still dragging it’s foot on the issue, noting that the announcement by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo that government has convened a committee is belated and an insult to workers.
ULC said it is only a shortage of patriotism, will and a surplus of official greed and corruption that is the bane of a reasonable national minimum wage and not shortage of necessary resources to pay. Ajaero said the organised private sector (OPS) withdrawal of their initial increment to a reduced N25,000 is an embarrassment to workers and it is trying to test the powers of labour.
He said government has shown by its actions a remarkable lack of seriousness which have characterised governance in Nigeria, saying since February till now it is yet to come to the negotiation table with a figure for the new minimum wage.
“We shall no longer be obliged by this time to give any further notice to the government before embarking on the needed action to resist the deliberate and unconscionable desolation of our people and nation and we order all our affiliates and state councils to move to the final level of alert in their preparation for the proposed nationwide strike.
“Furthermore we wish to state that Nigerian workers will not only deny any government that denies us our living wages in the forthcoming general elections but will also set up an active machinery to mobilise against their elections,” he added.
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