The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said it would commence a nationwide industrial action alongside civil society organisations on the country on the 26th, should the Federal government fail to meet its demand for the tripartite committee to reconvene and complete its assignment on the new minimum wage against which the action is a must.
Rising from its National Executive Council meeting held yesterday in Abuja, NLC in a statement read by its President Comrade Ayuba Wabba, expressed disappointment at the manner in which members of new minimum wage tripartite committee on the side of federal government unilaterally adjourned the tripartite meeting on the day the committee was expected to complete its assignment.
“”NEC noted that this is against the principle of collective bargaining as provided in ILO conventions 98 and 131on minimum wage setting process, which Nigeria had domesticated.”
The statement in part reads, “NEC has resolved that at the expiration of the 14 days industrial action notice issued to the Federal government over the new minimum wage issue, and the demand of the organised was not met, NEC has given NAC and the leadership of organised labour the power to declare appropriate industrial action or any action it deems necessary.
“In the first place, NEC express serious concern at the unilateral adjournment of the negotiation of the new minimum wage by the federal government on the day the tripartite committee was expected to complete its assignment.
“NEC in session accordingly approve and applauded the organised labour for taken a proactive step by issuing a statutory 14 days industrial action notice to preserve the sanctity of the collective bargaining process. And the demand for the tripartite committee to reconvene within a set period to finalise it’s report inline with the principle of collective bargaining.
“NEC resolve that all its affiliates unions and the 36 state councils of Congress and the FCT and joint action front communicate the decision of NEC to their members and all workers.”