Home Global Ties Organized labour in Nigeria demanding cushion to beat impact of Subsidy withdrawal

Organized labour in Nigeria demanding cushion to beat impact of Subsidy withdrawal

June 19, 2023

(3 minutes read)

Organised labour in Nigeria is negotiating wage awards for workers with the Federal Government to cushion the effects of the removal of petrol subsidy, according to President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Joe Ajoero

Providing more insights into the wage debate at the ongoing International Labour Conference organised by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Geneva, Switzerland, recently the Nigerian labour leader explained that there was no ambiguity in the two wages, minimum wage and the wage fixed by the national wage board. The minimum wage is a national wage that must be negotiated with the three tripartite bodies – the government, employers and the union. The wage award is given to workers to alleviate the additional social pressure brought upon the working population by the removal of the subsidy.

President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, explained that next week’s meeting is regarding the wage award and not the minimum wage negotiation. He argued that the confusion that is trailing wages is caused by the Federal Government’s ill-preparedness for the consequences of removing the subsidy without instituting a palliative framework.

Ajaero hinted that a technical committee will be constituted to work out the modalities of the wage award. It will decide how the percentages will apply across grade levels. The NLC chief also criticized the Federal Government for scuttling its planned nationwide protests against the subsidy removal using courts. He said this was the first time a government would successfully use courts to stop a national protest.

https://trendsnafrica.com/nigeria-has-to-invest-heavily-to-stem-environmental-pollution-caused-by-oil/

Ajaero alleged that successive governments hid under subsidy regimes to perpetuate corrupt acts for three decades. He argued that the stoppage of subsidies would end the reign of corruption that characterises the administration of petrol subsidies.