Minimum wage: FG, labour meeting ends in deadlock

The Federal Government and the organised labour, again, yesterday did not reach a truce over the consequential adjustment of the N30, 000 new minimum wage approved by President Muhammadu Buhari on April 18, 2019.

The 14-day ultimatum which the organised labour gave the government on the issue elapses today.

The labour had vowed to embark on strike if the government fails to meet its demand.

Yesterday’s meeting started at 2.30pm and ended at 8.30pm.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, said discussion Would continue today as a result of exigency of the time.

Deputy President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Amaechi Asugwuni, said both parties would meet today for a final decision.

“Negotiation is still ongoing even though we actually thought negotiations would be concluded today (yesterday), but we can’t predict the negotiations. Therefore, the adjournment became necessary. To the best of our knowledge, the struggle will still continue. Tomorrow (today), we will meet by 2pm and we expect that we will close that meeting positively,” he said.

The Acting Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi-Esan, said: “We’ve worked very well together today and both sides have made a lot of concession.

“So far, commitment has been shown, but we believe that the areas that are still in context are critical.”

The government and the labour had already adjusted their positions on the consequential adjustment. The former has offered to make consequential movement of workers from grade level 7-14 to 17 percent from its initial 11 percent and 12 percent for grade level 1517 from 6.5 percent; while the organised labour also shifted its position of 29 percent for consequential movement of grade level 7-14 to 25 percent and 20 percent for grade level15-17 from 25 percent.