The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have rejected the proposal by the Southern Governors’ Forum to decentralize minimum wage negotiations to state governments. The NLC described the proposal as “unfriendly and anti-worker”, stating that allowing states to determine their minimum wages would be detrimental to workers’ welfare.
The Southern Governors’ Forum had sought to allow states to negotiate the minimum wage for workers independently, citing the need for wages to be reflective of the cost of living. However, the NLC insists that the minimum wage is a national issue and should not be negotiated at the state level.
The labour union also condemned the governors for not implementing the current national minimum wage of N30,000, with some states still paying N18,000. The NLC advised the governors to focus on implementing the national minimum wage once it is approved, rather than trying to negotiate with labour individually.
The Presidency has appealed to Nigerians to be patient, assuring them that the Federal Government will transmit the proposed bill on the new minimum wage to the National Assembly once it is ready. However, the labour union is adamant about its N250,000 minimum wage demand, while the state governors claim that paying even the N62,000 proposed by the Federal Government would plunge many states into debt.
Experts have cautioned the governors against exhibiting dictatorial tendencies and urged them to surpass their current stance and commit to implementing a higher minimum wage. The labour union has also warned that allowing states to determine their minimum wages would undermine the essence of having a national minimum wage in Nigeria.