The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba has described it minimum wage agreement with the federal government as a good deal.
Early on Friday, a meeting that began on Thursday came to an end as the Federal Government and organised labour agreed on 23.2 percentage increase for workers at grade level 07; 20 per cent for those at grade level 08; 19 per cent for workers at grade level 09; 16 per cent for those on levels 10 to 14; and 14 per cent for workers at grade levels 15 to 17.
On the outcome of the meeting, Wabba said, “The process of collective bargaining is about ‘give and take’ as I have said. I think this is a greater improvement from where we started and with what we have been able to achieve.
“The bottom line is that we have come to the end of the issue of consequential adjustment and both parties participated in the process and made inputs. Workers can now expect something they can rely on to address some of the challenges that the economy has posed.”
The labour leader said the agreement also meant that state councils of labour unions would have a template to negotiate with state governments.
He added, “The guidelines will be transmitted to the state councils and they will work in harmony as we have done at the centre. The joint council, Trade Union Congress and NLC will work to ensure that implementation takes effect.”
Asked how soon the implementation would take effect, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi-Esan, said the government would begin the process immediately.
