MAY DAY: We Will Not Demand Pay Rise Today – Labour

As the world mark today, May 1, as workers’ day, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has said that it would not demand for a review of the current minimum wage.

 Speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, the Deputy President of the NLC, Promise Adewusi said Labour is still conducting research into the minimum wage issue and that until that is concluded no demand will be made to the government.
He said, “We would not be asking for new minimum wage. Our research is still going on and when we are done we will make presentation and a new demand but not yet.”
A recent research conducted by Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access (EFiNA), a donor funded development organization estimated that amongst the adult population in Nigeria at 87.9 million, 52 percent earn below the national minimum wage of N18, 000.
Its breakdown of the total shows four million adults earning above N70,000 ($440) per month, 38 million earning between N18,000 and N70,000, and the balance of 52 percent earning below the national minimum wage of N18,000.

In 2012 one prominent African development agency put 66 per cent of the continent below the line of $2 per day, which meant that the balance of 34 per cent could is in the middle class.
Reacting to a question that the NLC is currently being perceived to be docile, Mr Adewusi said rather than engage in road shows, the organisation has adopted social dialogue as it a strategy in advancing the welfare of the Nigerian workers.
“What people want to see is constant road shows. But the road shows as important as they are do not necessarily bring the kind of outcomes that are required to enhance the welfare and wellbeing of our people.
“Rather we have decided to engage in constructive dialogue where we make paramount the welfare and wellbeing of our people as well as the protection of the constitutional rights of Nigerians. What we do is that we engage in research and produce papers and engage government; most times these happen behind the scene,” Mr Adewusi said.
He gave examples of the outcomes of such behind –the –scene engagement to include the reduction in telephone tariff and the adoption of the N18, 000 minimum wage amongst others.