TUC rules out new minimum wage announcement on May 1

Ahead of the Workers Day celebration on May 1, the President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo, has ruled out the announcement of a new minimum wage by the Federal Government.

Osifo, who addressed journalists on Friday in Abuja, said the disparity in the figures submitted by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and TUC may hinder an announcement soon.

While the TUC had pegged its minimum wage demand at N447,000 the NLC has tabled a demand of N794,000 per worker.

Following the disparity in their demands, both parties in a fresh proposal to the federal government presented N615,000 as the new minimum wage for workers.

Osifo said: “The negotiation by the Tripartite Committee is still ongoing. If you remember, the TUC earlier submitted N447,000 as the new minimum wage but we have harmonised our figure with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). It is now N615,000.

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“So, certainly, May 1, will not work for the pronouncement of the new minimum wage. Except if the federal government wants to pay the minimum wage of N500,000 to workers.”

The TUC chief noted that the labour demand was not sacrosanct, saying the unions were open to dialogue to reach a realistic agreement.

“The government also has its markup so conversations and negotiations will start and end somewhere.

“If you look at the N615,000, you will think that the amount is right but at about the time we did that computation, a dollar was about N1,700. I am hopeful that the committee will meet after May 1,” he added.

By: Babajide Okeowo

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