Minimum wage: TUC set for showdown with state govts

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has stated that it is set for total showdown with various State Governments that are not willing or ready to comply with the directive by President Muhammadu Buhari over minimum wage implementation.

 President Buhari has directed all state governments to commence minimum wage payment by 31st December 2019.

 Addressing journalists during the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Lagos on Thursday, the NEC led by its National President, Comrade Quadri Olaleye stated that it has directed all its state chapters to mobilize for the total strike in any that fails to implement the minimum wage of N30,000 as directed by the Federal Government.

According to the NEC-in-Session, “We commend the Federal Government for the eventual completion of negotiation with respect to the consequential adjustments and commencement of payment of the new National Minimum Wage to federal workers. The Congress, however, advises all-state governments who have not complied with the implementation and immediate payment of the N30,000.00 new National Minimum Wage to commence negotiations and implementation on or before 31st January 2020, otherwise the State Government should be responsible for the consequences of their failure. State Councils have been directed to commence mobilisation of their members immediately.

“Our state chapters will commence mobilization for a total showdown with any state government that fails to commence the implementation of the minimum wage by January 31, 2020.

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”It is insubordination for a state governor to disregard the President’s directive on the implementation of the minimum wage by the end of December 2019.

”Six state governments have commenced implementation while 15 states have started the process of implementation. Others have not commenced at all but our deadline is for all state governments that are yet to commence implementation.

“We are urging them to comply or face the wrath of the Nigerian workers. The State Governments and their supporters will be responsible for whatever is the consequence of our showdown with them.”

On the spate of insecurity across the country, the NEC said it wants the Federal Government to be more practical on the way forward on tackling the challenges of insecurity.

“The Federal Government should welcome more initiatives like the South West’s security outfit called “Amotekun” to ensure a safer society for Nigerians.

“Also, we are stressing that any attempt by the Federal Government to overburden the workers’ income through multiple taxations will be resisted considering the fact that our members are facing multiple taxations already before the Finance Bill may be signed into law,” it said.

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The NEC also said it will rally for global peace across the nation on the 25th January 2020, to call for peace and not war in the world.

“If parties to war have no support from some other parties, there won’t be any need for war. So we are calling for peace and economic development across the globe,” it said.

The said it also condemn all forms of casualization and slave labour in Nigeria.

“Congress will win the year, therefore, engage any employer that violates the right of Nigerian Workers to unionize and have permanent employment. The Government is hereby advised to extend Local Content Policy as applied in the Oil sector to be applicable to other sectors of the economy,” it said.