The Labour Party has urged workers’ unions to reconsider their indefinite strike and re-negotiate with the government for a new minimum wage. This plea follows the organised labour’s demand for a ₦494,000 minimum wage, which the party deems unrealistic.
Obiora Ifoh, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, emphasised that the strike would exacerbate the current hardships faced by Nigerians.
“Our immediate reaction is that the organised labour should not throw Nigerians into more hardship. Nigerians are already grappling with a lot of challenges and we do not need to exacerbate the situation. I think the demand for N494,000 minimum wage is unrealistic. It is really unrealistic. It is a figure that cannot be sustained because it will imply that Nigeria will take all that money it has to pay the civil servants,” Mr Ifoh stated.
He argued that the demand for ₦494,000 is unsustainable as it would consume a significant portion of the nation’s funds. Instead, he urged continued negotiation to reach a mutually acceptable figure.
“Negotiation should continue until they get something better. Asking Nigerian workers to stay at home will affect everything, including the cost of living, and Nigerians cannot afford that now. Negotiation is not a one-off thing.
“If the federal government is not willing to go above N60,000 minimum wage, I think that the organised labour should work with what is available while it continues to negotiate. We know this government has not gotten it right. It is still trying to test the waters,” the LP spokesman added.
The call for re-negotiation comes in the wake of a nationwide strike declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) after failed negotiations with the Federal Government. The government had incrementally increased its minimum wage offer from ₦48,000 to ₦60,000, but these proposals were rejected by labour unions.
The strike began on Monday after labour representatives walked out of a meeting on May 28, dissatisfied with the government’s revised offer. Initially demanding ₦615,000, the unions later reduced their request to ₦497,000, and then to ₦494,000, in response to the rising cost of living.
The Labour Party advised that while the government has not yet met expectations, it is crucial to avoid actions that could further worsen the situation for Nigerians.
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