NLC, TUC, ULC will soon harmonise positions on new minimum wage —Ajaero

The President of United United Labour Center (ULC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, has assured Nigerian workers that despite the differences between the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and the newly launched United Labour Center (ULC), the three federations will unite and work together to harmonies their different positions on the new national minimum wage.

Comrade Ajaero made this known even as the ULC defended its N96,000 national minimum wage demand for workers and declared that Nigerian workers deserves more.

The NLC and the TUC have jointly presented N56,000 national minimum wage demand to the Federal Government; while the ULC has demanded for N96,000.

The Technical Committee on Palliative and Minimum Wage headed by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige had submitted its report to the Federal Government recently and advised the government to immediately set up the Tripartite Committee on  Minimum Wage, which will negotiate a desirable national minimum wage for the country.

The committee also recommended a 29-member committee chairmen comprising the eight each from the Federal Government, Labour, and the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) with civil society groups; three governors representing the states and Governors’ Forum and a chairman and secretary.

Speaking with Nigerian Tribune on the issue, Comrade Ajaero said the different figures presented by the ULC and the combination of NLC and TUC, will not create any problem as the three labour centres have found themselves in a worst situation, and overcome it, during the last fuel price increase and the palliative committee later set up to negotiate with the government.

“I don’t think we are going to have problem with either 96 or 56 as figures, we will harmonise it. Just like before we went for palliative committee, we had different positions,” the ULC president said.

But Ajaero stated that the issue of national minimum wage is an inclusive one, and therefore, warned that minimum wage cannot be negotiated without the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) who handles the private sector.

He pointed out that all workers, both in the private and public sectors should be well and adequately represented, as well as the state government.

“The issue of minimum wage is an all inclusive one, you can’t negotiate the minimum wage without NECA that handles the private sector and majority of our unions, not all are from the private sector base unions, so you can’t shave their heads in their absence.

“What has happened in the palliative committee even after flexing of muscles, both my centre and the NLC and the TUC have to sit together in the interest of Nigerians and the workers, they held meetings together and come up with a uniform position,” he said.