Minimum wage: Waiting game as Labour, FG yet to reach agreement

ONE hour into the midnight deadline for industrial action over the minimum wage agreement between labour and the Federal Government, both sides had not reached a consensus.

The labour had given October 17 deadline, failure of which it would commence an indefinite strike over the implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage across the grade levels of workers.

As of 11.00 p.m. time of filing this report on Wednesday, the meeting between the representatives of the organised labour and those of the Federal Government was still ongoing.

At the ongoing meeting, the organised labour and representatives of the Federal Government broke into discussions to consider both positions on the minimum wage.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the meeting, which commenced at 5:00 p.m., was yet to reach any agreement, following a breakout session by both government and labour teams.

As of the time of filling this report, both groups were still in breakout sessions.

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NAN recalled that the organised labour is demanding 29 per cent salary increase for officers on salary level 07 to 14 and 24 per cent adjustment for officers on salary grade level 15 to 17 .

The Federal Government, however, presented a proposal of 11 per cent salary increase for officers on grade level 07 to14 and 6.5 per cent adjustment for workers of grade level 15 to 17.

During the earlier meeting of Tuesday, the Federal Government team stepped up its offers for grade levels 07 to 09 to 17 per cent; grade levels 10 to 24, to 15 per cent, while grade levels 15 to 17 were offered 12 per cent consequential adjustment.

Also, the Labour team shifted from 29 per cent to 25 per cent for grade levels 07 to 14 and from 24 per cent to 20 per cent for grade levels 15 to 17.