No discussions yet with Govt on implementation of new Minimum Wage – Labour
No discussions yet with Govt on implementation of new Minimum Wage – Labour
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Akwa Ibom State chapter, has reported that the State Government has not yet begun discussions with organized labor regarding the implementation of the new minimum wage.
This was stated by the State Chairman of the NLC, Comrade Sunny James, during a recent interaction with members of the Correspondents’ Chapel.
According to the state NLC boss: “We have not started anything on the new minimum wage in Akwa Ibom and my reason is very simple. When there’s new minimum wage legislation, the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), in conjunction with the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council of the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), will have to meet and agree on consequential adjustment.
“We have N70,000 new minimum wage, so there has to be a consequential adjustment to make the salary table flow seamlessly. If you apply the 133 percent uniformly, salaries of those on Levels 14 and 15 will be very high.”
In response to concerns from some state governors about their inability to pay the new minimum wage of N70,000, James expressed optimism that organized labor and the state government will ultimately agree to implement the national minimum wage law for Akwa Ibom workers.
“Akwa Ibom State governor will not complain that he cannot pay N70,000. And there’s no way we can collect anything less than N70,000 as the new minimum wage. We will not accept that. The governor has not also said that he will not pay”, he asserted.
In a separate discussion, Elder Effiong Essien, the Head of Civil Service for Akwa Ibom State, assured that talks about the new minimum wage would begin once the federal government releases the circular on consequential adjustments.
He said: “The state government is still waiting for the circular on the new minimum wage. You know it has a process. After the legislation, the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission has to release a circular with consequential benefits.
“So when the states receive that circular that is when the states will also prepare in-house towards implementation of the new minimum wage.”
Regarding whether Akwa Ibom will pay the N70,000 minimum wage, the Head of Service emphasized that the decision would come from the governor.
