Minimum Wage: FG Arranges Meeting, Wants More Time

The President ofTrade Union Congress (TUC)Quadri Olaleye has disclosed that the Federal Government wanted the Labour Unions to extend the ultimatum given with regard to the issue of the minimum wage in order to avert the impending strike.

A meeting between theJoint National Public Service Negotiating Council(JNPSNC) and the Federal Government is scheduled to take place on Tuesday after the breakdown of the first phase of negotiations.

The Trade Unions had issued a strike warning recently, with an ultimatum of October 16, 2019, for the government to accept its demand of the consequential adjustment of workers’ salary following the new minimum wage.

Olaleye said that the proposed meeting which was initiated by the government which was making attempts to ensure that the strike would not hold.

Those on the government negotiating team are too slow with the level of their consultation. For example, for an ultimatum that will expire on October 16, 2019, instead of concentrating on how to resolve the issues, they are asking for extension which is not going to be possible.

The decision is that of the organ comprising theCWC,NAC, andNEC of labour unions. It will be very difficult to call them back and review the position with the view to extending it. It will be impossible at this short time.Quadri Olaleye - punchng.com