A meeting between the federal government and the organised labour on Monday failed to reach agreement on the consequential adjustment of the country’s minimum wage to N30,000.
Trade unions and associations have threatened to embark on a nationwide strike to press implementation of the minimum wage increment by government at all levels.
A meeting between government representatives and the organised labour under the auspices of Joint Public Service Negotiating Council chaired by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, failed to make significant progress on the contentious isdues.
While government team stepped up from 9.5 percent to 11 percent for grade levels 7 to 14 and 6.5 percent from 5.5 percent for levels 15 to 17, the workers’ team stepped down to 29 percent from 30 percent for grade levels 7 to 14 and 24 from 25 percent for levels 15 to 17.
Chairman of the labour team, Comrade Simon Anchaver said the negotiating team has resolved to write to the leaderships of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) to consider industrial action option to put government in checks.
He said the foot-dragging posture of government on the minimum wage implementation was an invitation for strike.
He said workers were already agitated on whether their accumulated arrears would be paid when talks are finally concluded or not.
He said just like the last inconclusive meeting, the positions taken by the two parties at Monday’s talks would be presented to President Muhammadu Buhari for further actions.
The president had in April signed into signed into law the amendments to National Minimum Wage Act by the National Assembly which pegged minimum wage N30,000.
