ASCSN cautions against moving minimum wage law to concurrent list
Seeks institutionalisation of ‘ no pay, no work’ policy
RELOCATION of the national minimum wage law from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent list will encourage non- payment of salaries by many state governments, the National President of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria ( ASCSN), Dr Tommy Okon, has said.
Okon, who stated this in Abuja while speaking to The Guardian, said under the current dispensation, which makes payment of minimum wage compulsory, many state governors hide under low federal allocation to deny workers their salaries for months.
He explained: “The fact that the national minimum wage is under the exclusive legislative list implies that all employers of labour in Nigeria must comply with it. That is the position of the law. However, it is worrisome that this law is not implemented fully, especially by some state governments. Going by the maxim that a worker deserves his or her wage within the context of the ‘ no work no pay’ slogan by the government, those in authority never consider ‘ no pay, no work’.”
He further argued that since government and employers of labour are quick to implement ‘ no work, no pay’ when labour unions embark on industrial action, the time has come for the government to also institutionalise ‘ no pay’ no work’ policy.
He berated some state governors that have declined to faithfully implement the national minimum wage, describing them as ‘ lord unto themselves’.
“Some state governments have become recalcitrant on the payment of minimum wage. Indeed, they have become a law unto them
Assistants ( PAS). This clearly shows that payment of selves. Even when they were salaries has become political part and par cel of the minisettlements. We believe that mum wage negotiations, the problem of this country is they still did not find it expethe governors.” dient to pa y workers their He further held that the wages.” brazen manner some state
Dr Okon pointed the attengovernors refused to impletion of those clamouring for ment the national minimum the relocation of the la w to wage does not portray labour the concurrent list to thread as helpless over the situasoftly, saying, “For those that tion. are clamouring th at miniHe said: “The non- payment mum wage should be moved of minimum wage does not to concurrent legislative list, necessarily show that labour this is a lesson for them to is helpless as far as the issue is note that once the wage is concerned. Labour has its moved to the concurrent list, weapon, which is the withmost workers at the state drawal of services. These govlevel might not receive their ernors have their children in salaries for many years. Some private schools or have them states are still paying school abroad. The most N18,000 as I speak. This is annoying aspect is that when most unfortunate. their children come back,
“It is even more worrisome they will have choice jobs when one takes into account thereby preparing them to the number of personal take over the mantle of leadassistants some of these govership. ernors have. Many of them
have more than 100 Personal