The federal government of Nigeria and the organized labor union comprising the Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have agreed on working towards the actualization of a new minimum wage higher than the ₦60,000 (sixty thousand naira).
This development was contained in a joint resolution reached at the end of the Tripartite meeting comprising the FG, Labor, and the National Assembly after an exhaustive meeting held on Monday May 3, at the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
Representatives of the federal government who signed the joint resolution obtained by westernmirrior.con.ng on Monday evening are the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris and Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha–the Minister of State for Labour and Employment while the NLC national president, Joe Ajaero and his TUC counterpart, Festus Osifo signed on behalf of labor.
Following the breakdown of negotiations between the FG and the Labor leaders on Sunday May 2 culminating into the declaration of a nationwide strike on May 3, the leadership of the National Assembly intervened with a view to addressing the labor demands.
Recall that the Nigerian labor has rejected the sixty thousand minimum wage proposition earlier offered leading to the nationwide strike embrked upon by workers on Monday, May 3.
Consequently, both labor and federal government returned to the negotiation table with the intervention of the national assembly on Monday evening less than 24hrs of the strike commencement.
According to the joint resolutions reached at the end of the meeting on Monday, negotiations will continue every day between labor and FG within the next one week with a view to jointly arriving at a new minimum wage higher than sixty thousand naira.
The Labor leaders have equally agreed to go back and convene a meeting of its organs immediately to consider the commitment of President Bola Tinubu while maintaining that no worker would be victimized as a result of the industrial action.
The resolutions read: “Further to the negotiation by the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage (NMW) and subsequent withdrawal of Labour from negotiation, the Leadership of the National Assembly intervened on 2nd June, 2024.
“The Organised Labour declared nationwide strike on Monday, 3rd June, 2024 to drive home its demands.
“The Federal Government, in the National interest, convened a meeting with Labour held in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, on Monday 3rd June, with a view to ending the strike action.
“After exhaustive deliberation and engagement by both parties, the following resolutions were reached:
“The President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria is committed to a National
Minimum Wage that is higher than N60,000;
“Arising from the above, the Tripartite Committee is to meet everyday for the next one week with a view to arriving at an agreeable National Minimum Wage;
Labour in deference to the high esteem of the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of
Nigeria’s commitment in above undertakes to convene a meeting of its organs immediately to consider this commitment; and No worker would be victimized as a result of the industrial action.”