The Organised Private Sector, OPS, of Nigeria, has described the walkout by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC, during the minimum wage negotiation with the Federal Government on Wednesday as unfortunate.
Speaking for the OPS,the Director-General of NECA, Mr Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, condemned heir walkout ‘when negotiation had not started’.
“Apples Bite” reports that the NLC and TUC on Wednesday dumped the minimum wage negotiation after the Federal Government offered to pay N48,000, a figure far below the N615,00 the unions were demanding as the new national minimum wage.
Oyerinde said: “The action of Labour to walk out even when negotiations have not started, though within its rights to do so, is unfortunate. As seen globally, a major feature of all negotiations is for all parties to present their opening positions, which was done by all social partners.
‘’The expected follow-up action is the actual negotiation with attendant counter-negotiations, alignment and realignment of positions, among others. The action of Labour to walk out even when negotiation has not started, even when it is within its right to do so, has the potential to delay the assignment of the Minimum Wage Committee.”
While asking Labour to reconsider its position, the NECA DG admonished the union leaders to reconsider their position and return to the negotiation table in the interest of their members and national development.
“The Organised Private Sector remains committed to the review of the current National Minimum Wage to a new one that is fair, sustainable and which takes due cognisance of our current economic situation,” he added.
Commenting on the breakdown in negotiations, a facilitator with the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Dr Ikenna Nwosu, said, “The government can do better than that because the economic indices and the inflation rate justify more increase than what it is offering. Inflation is at 33.6 per cent, the highest in Nigerian history.”
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