Organized labour has passed a memo to its members across the country to prepare for strike action should the negations with government over the new minimum wage fail.
In the ongoing negotiations, the government are insisting on giving officers of grade levels 07-14 a 9.5 percent salary adjustment while 5 percent goes to those on grade levels 15-17.
Labour expressed surprised that the government was introducing a new clause.
“Surprisingly, when the Technical Sub-Committee reconvened, the Government Side introduced a strange clause to the discussion insisting that the Term of Reference of the Committee was to work out the consequential adjustment of salaries of Public Servants based on the subhead provided for salaries in the 2019 Budget.”
All efforts by the Trade Union Side to persuade the Government Side to return to the right track of negotiation and agree on a realistic percentage increase proved abortive.”
“Thus, the Government Side deliberately created a stalemate and thereafter adjoined the meeting of the Technical Committee sine die.”
“According to a communiqué, a copy of which was issued to newsmen, the workers said the downward review by labour was due to a promise by government to undertake a general salary review in no distance time.
Part of the communiqué which was jointly signed by the acting chairman and Secretary, Comrades Anchaver Simon and Alade Bashir Lawal reads:
“The Trade Union Side of JNPSNC has now resolved that the Federal Government should reconvene the meeting of the Technical Committee on Consequential Adjustment immediately so that it can conclude its deliberations and ensure that all Public Service Employees benefit adequately from the N30,000 new monthly National Minimum Wage signed into Law by Mr. President since April, 2019.”
