The Federal Government and organised labour have finally reached an agreement on the percentage increase on the consequential adjustment in workers’ salaries for the payment of the N30,000 minimum wage.
The agreement was reached in the early hours of Friday after a meeting that commenced on Thursday.
Minister of Labour and Employment Dr Chris Ngige announced the agreement in Abuja in the early hours of Friday, after a government team he led concluded its meeting with officials of the Organised Labour.
According to Ngige, the consequential adjustment agreed upon are as follows:
“For COMESS wage structure Grade level 7 gets 23 per cent, salary grade level 8 gets 20 per cent, salary grade level 9 gets 19 per cent, salary grade level 10 -14 gets 16 per cent, while salary grade level 15 -17 gets 14 per cent.
“For those on the second category of wages structure, CONHES, CONRRISE, CONTISS etc, Level 7 gets 22.2 percent, Level 8 -14 gets 16 per cent , Level 15 -17 gets 10.5 percent.”
The Minister noted that the third category of the country’s wage structure which are military and paramilitary officers were also factored into the agreement.
“Since they are not in the civil service , theirs will be communicated through the appropriate channels. Their percentages of increase is confidential,” he said.
Festus Keyamo, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, had earlier tweeted from the venue that both parties had reached an agreement, but he did not give details.
The tweet read, “After some delicate negotiations (with both ministers as conciliators), the government and labour have finally reached an agreement on the consequential adjustment of other wages following the implementation of the enhanced minimum wage of N30,000.
https://twitter.com/fkeyamo/status/1184943811761524745/photo/1
https://twitter.com/fkeyamo/status/1185018253959139328/photo/1
Similarly, the Trade Union Congress confirmed the peace pact in a statement issued by its President Quadri Olaleye, and the Secretary-General, Musa-Lawal Ozigi.
The statement read: “We commend the Head of Service of the Federation, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan, and her team for their sincerity.
“Though they argued that the government could not afford to meet our earlier demand of N30,000 minimum wage across board because of the economic situation in the country, we made them understand that some people could not be more Nigerian than others.
“If we are tightening our belts, government should also do so.”
Organised Labour and FG had disagreed over the consequential adjustments in salaries that must be implemented across board.
Labour had demanded 29 per cent salary increase for officers on grade level 07 to 14, and 24 per cent adjustment for officers on grade level 15 to 17.
The government had earlier offered 11 per cent salary increase for officers on grade level 07 to 14, and 6.5 per cent adjustment for workers on grade level 15 to 17.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige said the new minimum wage was a national law and it must be obeyed by all tiers of government.
“We have often repeated that the essence of that law was for the president to lift the vulnerable working force both in the private and public service.
“This is a national law and it must be obeyed by all; state government, local government and all persons concerned that employ more than 25 persons in their organisation.
“We have decided to fast tract discussions. We are fast tracking it because we need to put an end to the issue of minimum wage till the next five years, when it will arise again.
“We need to finalise this today, The suspense is too much for the people. Even your constituency- workers, if we don’t conclude today, they will be thinking otherwise.
“They will start thinking that you have been compromised, even the government side, if we don’t conclude today, they will start saying you people are influencing us.
“This negotiation should be, in the spirit of give and take, in the spirit of one nation, end this thing. If we decide to empty the purse so that the nation will go broke, it will affect all of us.
“If we do give and take, look at government purse and know that this purse has been badly depleted, make some concession, it will be in the interest of Nigeria.”
NLC President, Mr Ayuba Wabba, had earlier said that the organised labour would continue to be open minded and would keep up with the principles of collective bargaining.
“We on this side of the table we are ready to ensure that we bring the entire process to a conclusion.
“In the normal practice of Collective Bargaining, you look at issues from both sides, you look at the situation with workers, vis a viz their pockets and what will make the workers happy and very productive.
“If wishes were horses, we would have wished that this entire negotiation was concluded yesterday.” (NAN)
