NLC threatens strike, protests in states yet to implement minimum wage

States yet to implement the new national minimum wage and those owing workers salaries have been threatened with strike actions and protests in the New Year by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

The President of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba made the threat in his New Year message issued Thursday night, saying that it was unfortunate that till now, some states have refused to pay the new national minimum wage.

In the statement titled, ‘Beyond survival: Nigerian workers and people deserve better in 2021′, Wabba regretted that some states which had signed collective bargaining agreements with state councils of the labour movement on the payment of consequential salary adjustment and pension benefits owing to the new national minimum wage have started reneging on their commitment.

The statement reads in part: “Accordingly, we call on all our state councils still struggling with their state governments on the payment of the national minimum wage and consequential salary increase and those whose state governments have unilaterally cut wages and are owing workers salary arrears to prepare for mass industrial action and protests this New Year.

“Furthermore, we insist that government must make possible the enabling environment that would foster job creation and full employment in line with the constitutional responsibilities of the state to ensure the welfare and security of citizens.”

Read also: NLC to workers: Prepare for minimum wage strike

The congress also noted that unemployment and poverty are perfect recipes for the breakdown of law and order and are also harbingers of widespread anarchy.

It also promised that to withstand further shocks from the resurgence of fresh outbreaks of COVID-19 and or other health and socio-economic dislocations, the union will design a recovery plan that rebuilds the social contract between government and societies and hoisted on the foundations of resilience.

“In order to achieve this, we must ensure that decent work is at the centre of government actions to bring back economic growth and build a new national and global economy that puts people and the planet first,” it added.

On insecurity, the congress said that it would unfold plans for a national advocacy campaign on the issue by convening a multi-stakeholder conference.

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