The Vice-President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Solomon Adelegan, said on Wednesday the Federal Government was foot-dragging on negotiating a new minimum wage for workers.
Adelegan said in Lagos that negotiating a new wage for workers was long overdue.
He said: “The agreement on new minimum wage as posited by the NLC president, Ayuba Wabba, is long overdue because the former document signed by the government and labour is renewable after every fifth year.
“As I speak now, we are in the seventh year, meaning it is overdue for review and we have sent letters to the appropriate quarters for the negotiation to commence but there is no word from government.
“We have done our part since about four months ago when we presented our recommendation but government has yet to commence its own process.
“We want to let the government know that our patience is running out on this issue. On our part, there are many options open to us.”
Adelegan said there might not be a decent workforce if the workers were working under duress, engendered by poverty as a result of poor remuneration.
“The position of the NLC is simple, when we talk about decent workforce, there should be a commensurate pay to drive them.
“Nigerian workers are working under unfavourable conditions. How long will it take government’s team to engage labour if they are serious with the negotiation?
“We are calling on government to expedite action on the new minimum wage without delay because the present pay being received now is a shame, considering the current economic hardship.
“The impact of recession as claimed by the government is only felt by the workers,’’ the NLC official added.
NAN
Source:The Nation
