TUC serves FG ‘notice’ to raise minimum wage

Bobboi Kaigama, president of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), has served the federal government with a notice f‎or the upward review of minimum wage for workers.‎

Kaigama gave the notice on Tuesday when he paid a courtesy call on Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the state house.

He also restated the position of the labour unions that the federal government should reverse the sale of the electricity distribution companies (DISCOs), accusing them of lacking the will and competence to invest in the power sector and provide power to consumers.

“The National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2011 will be five years old in March and in recognition of the International Labour Organisation’s Minimum Wage Fixing Convention 131 of 1970, an adhoc committee should be raised every five years for the review,” he said.

“We use this opportunity to serve notice that it is time for the federal government to set up that committee and mandate it to kick start work on the fixing of a new minimum wage.

“We trust that this will be done immediately to save Nigerian workers from the harsh effects of present day economic realities, which are taking a toll on their meagre incomes.”

Kaigama argued that the increase in electricity tariff is anti-people, and slammed the national assembly for its “lame, simplistic and misleading” decision to empower the electricity regulator to unilaterally increase tariff.

“Any Act that preys on the masses that it is supposed to protect negates the very essence of public policy,” he said.

“In the same vein, any act that compels the citizens to pay for services not delivered is not only flawed and undemocratic but ultra vires to the power of the national assembly to make laws for the good of the country.

“Telecommunications operators brought funds, expertise, service delivery and competition in their business, which Nigerians are happy about, but DISCOS‎ have the sole aim of profiteering through fraud.

“They have failed to implement their own part of the contract, with poor electricity supply and non- availability of meters being experienced nationwide, and we expect the presidency to issue a categorical statement affirming a return to status quo ante regarding the unit price of electricity.”

The upwardly review electricity tariffs were to take effect in February, but the organised labour said at the end of January that there would be an industrial crisis if the new rates stood.

Ayuba Wabba, president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), who issued the threat, was backed by TUC and the Electricity Consumer Protection Forum.

Wabba described the 40 to 45 per cent increase as exploitative and illegal, and urged Nigerians to reject it, saying: “We reject the tariff increase, based on the fact that due process was not followed according to the law. Organised labour and civil society groups were not consulted…

“If by February 1, the federal government implements the policy, we will shut down all DISCOs. There should be an increase indicated in service delivery, before the proposed new tariff.”

True to the threats, electricity distribution offices across the country were grounded on February 1.

Meanwhile, at TheCable’s colloquium on devaluation of the naira on February 11, Issa Aremu, former deputy president of NLC, had given a hint of a potential labour-FG dispute when he said the unions would be calling on government for a minimum wage increase of more than 100 percent.

“The first minimum wage was N125 in 1981, at the exchange rate where naira was about twice the dollar value. That came to $250 in nominal terms today; multiplied by N200, that comes to N50,000,” Aremu had said.

“At that N125, many of our parents bought lands, sent children to school. Naira had value. But today, with N18,000, and the current exchange rate less than $60, we are one of the poorest countries in the world. Ghanaian workers earn more than us.

“In spite of that, some stupid governors, some criminal governors, are still not paying as at when due. I have said any governor or employer who cannot pay should resign, not only that, should be prosecuted.

“The minimum wage has declined to $55 from $125 and if we have to restore it, it has to move to N48,000; that’s just in nominal terms. That’s why NLC is ready to prepare, to submit, our new proposal for minimum wage increase, and let me tell you that this would be done. I assure you, whether through struggle, because the money that would not be paid to the working people would be stolen, we have seen.”