• Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Minimum wage: Again, No deal as FG, Labour reconvene meeting today

New minimum wage-committe

The Federal Government and the Labour unions have again adjourned their meeting to 7 pm today Thursday October 17, over the lingering issues of consequential adjustment on the N30, 000 Minimum wage as both sides again failed to conclude negotiations on the issue.

After a prolonged meeting that began on Tuesday, no deal was reached but the dialogue continued on Wednesday at about 5pm and ended around 2:00 am Thursday morning. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, told reporters after the close door meeting that ended in Abuja at about 2:00 on Thursday that both parties had fruitful deliberations even as he expressed confidence that both sides will resolve the issues as they reconvene on Thursday by 7pm.

“We have agreed on so many areas which hitherto we could not agree on and we are adjourning the meeting, we are giving assignment to some people on both sides to get back to us. The work involved is enormous so we are giving them the entire day to get back to us on issues of money and wage adjustment as per different wage structures. We have about 12 wage structures presently in Nigeria.

“So we don’t want to make mistakes that could be fatal and thereby put the whole exercise we have done in jeopardy. We have consensually agreed that we reconvene this meeting at 7m today. This will enable those that we have given assignment to complete their assignments and bring them back to us.

“We are very okay with the meetings they are moving on smoothly, and as you can see from here, there is conviviality, it is very cordial, nobody is fighting. We disagreed on some areas but we have agreed back which is the most important thing,” the minister said.

Also speaking to reporters after Thursday morning meeting, President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) Ayuba Waba, noted that progress has been made adding that the issues are yet to be concluded.

“It’s a collective bargaining process. Some progress has been made but we have not been able to conclude and have a collective bargaining agreement. We are trying to get the process concluded and put this issue behind us. We have adjourned to reconvene by 7pm today. Therefore progress has been made and once we are through the details will be available to you,” he said.

On the October 16 deadline issued by Labour if government fails to reach agreements with the unions, Waba said the deadline was for government to call for a meeting to address the issues. “We are already on the table trying to sort out the issues; every dispute will actually be concluded on a round table that is what we are trying to do.

“But I can say clearly that we have been able to make some progress and by the time we conclude, information will be made available to you. We are talking about one simple issue- the implementation of the consequential adjustment that is the only subject matter that is under consideration and that is what we are trying to conclude and ensure there is an agreement,” he said.

On the reported shift on the percentage adjustment by Labour and government, Waba said the reported shifts “is mere speculation; we should work on the basis of information that is credible. We should be able to give you that credible information at the appropriate time.”

Before Tuesday’s meeting, Labour had demanded that the government make consequential movement of salary of grade levels 7-14 to 29 per cent and 24 per cent for grade level 15-17. Government however, offered 11 per cent adjustment for grade levels 7-14 and also offered 6.5 per cent for grade levels 15-17.

BusinessDay gathered that chances for the resolution of the crisis brightened as government allegedly shifted ground from their earlier position to offer 17 per cent salary adjustment for levels 7-9. BusinessDay also gathered that government offers adjustment to 15 per cent for grade levels 10-15 and 12 per cent for grade levels 15 -17.

Labour on the hand, BusinessDay gathered, Labour had shifted ground and now demands 25 per cent adjustment for grade level 7-14 and 20 per cent for grade level 15- 17.

The minimum wage was signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari on April 18, 2019.

Others present at the meeting include; Minister of State for Labour and Employment Festus Keyamo; Acting Head of Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemis-Esan; General Secretary of the NLC, Emmanuel Ugboaja; Deputy President of the NLC, Amaechi Asugwuni among others.

 

Innocent Odoh, Abuja