New National Minimum Wage to be Revealed

The current Minister of Labour and Employment, Mr Chris Ngige, relayed an information to the State House correspondents that the two congress are working on reviewing workers’ salaries.

He said, “We are almost finishing our work and we are handing over next week.”

He said inability of some state governments to settle their monthly workers’ salaries, as well as the inflationary trend in the country have also been noted.

“Everyone knows that prices have gone up and in some states, workers are not getting salaries. They are unable to pay the minimum wage. These are the things we have taken into account in our discussion.

He said, “We also have warnings from doctors’ union and ASUU, as well as NASU. We are discussing with them but we want to appeal to all of them that there is nothing like warning strike.”

He, however, admonished trade unions to always use dialogue and negotiation mode with constituted authorities in process of resolving labour issues.

His statement is as follow:

“There is nothing you cannot get by negotiation and you cannot get certain things by threats.

“Warning strikes as far as government is concerned are threats. I have made it clear to them.

“Government and labour laws make provision for social dialogue and collective bargaining agreements. It also makes provision for the review of the agreements.”

“They can go on strike after giving the mandatory notices but the same law says in Section 43 that if you withdraw your services, your union is supposed to pay you. Your employer will not pay.

“That is how the issue of no work, no pay came up. It is in the country’s labour. For the period you withdraw your services, it will not count for you in your pensionable times. It is taken as broken service.’’

He said it is the duty of union leaders to always orientate their members on the labour law to avoid 

industrial turmoil.

Recall that Ngige had previously threatened to invoke ‘No work, no pay’ on the members of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) who are currently on strike. This threat notice was issued by the minister in Abuja. He admonished those on strike to stop the five-day warning strike which took effect from Jan. 30.

He went further by saying, “I wish to assure you that the Federal Government is ready and willing to fully dialogue with members of ASUP and government will open an unhindered channel of communication with all stakeholders and shall maintain this.”

“Moreover, the Federal Ministry of Education has been discussing issues with ASUP on the concerns raised.

“Therefore, it is important for Trade unions to embrace dialogue in the pursuit and attainment of the economic and social interests of their members anchored on equity, natural justice and agreed procedures.’’