TUC Gives National Assembly One Week Ultimatum to Resolve the Issue on Minimum Wage

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), on Saturday gave the national assembly one week ultimatum to clarify the true position of the national minimum wage in the on-going constitution amendment. Bala Kaigama, TUC President while speaking, says any attempt to deregulate minimum wage will be resisted by the Labour.

While addressing journalists in Lagos after a central working committee meeting at the weekend, Bala Kaigama said the congress condemns in strong terms the removal of wages from the exclusive list to the concurrent list by the national assembly in spite of all attempts to acquaint the national assembly of the principle and concept of the minimum wage as practised in decent societies all over the world.

Bala Kaigama said: "The change would create a chaotic and potentially destabilizing industrial relation environment in the country.

"Minimum wage which is a product of collective bargaining should not be made a state law because both the private sector and public sectors are involve."

The congress had advised the national assembly to urgently retrace it steps as the consequent of their refusal could be grave for the nation.

"Our mobilisation has commenced, immediately after the one week it would just be follow up action and nothing more, we would not get back to them anymore, so it is for them to make their position known to Nigerians faster particularly the senate position, the house of representative will make their position, but the senate we want them to very explicit," Bala concluded.

It would be recalled that last year, campaign and mobilization against the removal of wages from the exclusive list to the concurrent list was suspended.