Minimum wage: TUC cautions FG against further delay

The Trade Union Congress (TUC), says Nigerian workers were no longer comfortable with the delay in the implementation of the new minimum wage by the Federal Government.

Mr Chukwuma Igbokwe, the chairman of Enugu state chapter of TUC disclosed this while speaking with newsmen on Wednesday in Enugu.
Igbokwe said that workers are now peeved and might embark on industry action to register their dissent.

Speaking on the backdrop of the deadlocked negotiation for the proper salary chart for the grade levels 7 – 17, Igbokwe said that the union leaders were mobilising for a possible showdown should another negotiation fail come Oct. 16, 2019.

“We just got a letter from the national leadership of our union to start mobilising that is if at the close of work on Oct. 16 government failed to meet up with labour’s demand we shall call workers out for strike.

“If these things are not done by the close of work on Oct. 16, then we wait for further directive from our leadership on what to do.

“I can assure you now that every state has commenced mobilisation. Workers are angry and tired.

“You cannot be probating and reprobating. You cannot come out and say I will pay and tomorrow you come out and say, I will not pay,’’ he said.
Igbokwe advised government to avert the looming strike by doing the needful.

“I am telling you that workers are angry and they are ready at any moment to down tools.

“All we are waiting for is instruction or a directive from our national leadership.“.

Commenting on the closure of Nigerian borders, Igbokwe said that it was a welcome development because the security agencies seem to have compromised and smuggling had continued unabated.

He, however, said he did not think that the measure would be indefinite as it will only last for some time so that security apparatus could be put in place to safeguard the borders.