Petrol Price Has Rendered N70, 000 Minimum Wage Useless — NLC

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, said Thursday it would meet with the federal government on how workers could survive the recent hike in the pump price of petrol.

According to the labour movement, the current price of petrol has eroded the gains of the yet-to-be implemented N70,000 new national minimum wage. President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, who disclosed this at the opening ceremony of a two day workshop on “Minimum Wage Implementation Workshop, Southern Zone, with the theme ‘Strategies for Effective Implementation of the 2024 National Minimum Wage Act, in Lagos,” insisted that organised labour was deceived by President Bola Tinubu into accepting the N70,000 minimum wage to forestall petrol price increase .

He advised the government to address the excruciating hunger, poverty and frustration of Nigerians before things go out of hand, lamenting that Nigerians were really suffering.

While giving insight into the conversations with President Tinubu before the N70,000 minimum wage was agreed, the NLC president lamented that Nigerians appeared to have started adjusting to the situation on ground because the government had been distracting organized labour.

“There is a tactic to distract our attention, to call us names, level allegations against us over cybercrime, financing terrorism, sponsoring terrorism and the rest.

“Those things have paid off because while we are facing those allegations, this issue of pump price has remained.

“I repeat, we were betrayed by Mr President, that statement we issued over our being betrayed is being denied by officials of the government. I am repeating it that we were betrayed. Some of you here were at the meeting when Mr President said, Ajaero you are the problem.

“Since we said subsidy is gone. You don’t want to allow us to increase again. If you allow me to increase we will pay you that N250, 000. Immediately I came out that day I was on Arise Television I repeated what Mr President told us.

“The president said I am giving you one hour to decide on this and get back to me. He said he was going back to his office and we should decide over this (between N250,000 minimum wage and petrol pump price hike).

“We said no, Sir, Mr President; we can’t be holding our meeting here in your office. Let us take one week break and come back and report back to you. He said okay, I am traveling but I will cancel my trip for one week. That was how we adjourned for one week.

“If you followed the trend of those negotiations, we adjourned for one week. And when we came back after consultations, we said to Mr President, no, we can’t allow you to increase to any length because that will affect all Nigerians and we will be seen to be selfish. ”Even the N250,000 will not be useful to us. If we continue to increase salary, it will make a mess of our economy and then you continue to increase pump price. In fact, that N250,000 may not be enough to even buy fuel.

“Mr President equally offered to fund our trip to tour some West African countries, where the least price of petrol is selling at N1,700. He even said in Cameroon, they are selling N2000 and that none of them has a refinery but they are getting their products from Nigeria.

”We responded by telling him to check the borders because that is why they are smuggling those products to those countries. ”We equally said no because Nigerians will say they have given us money; they won’t say it’s money for us to visit those West African states.

“On the adjourned date, we went there and told Mr President, we are not here for increase in pump price or negotiation. So let’s concentrate on the minimum wage. Some of these things informed the acceptance of N70,000 minimum wage which some of us here were saying was not enough. But some people are still saying they cannot pay that N70, 000. ”This is the dilemma all of us are facing. In fact, the private sector employers in our meeting gave us tough time. They refused to shift and they wanted to vote with state government, federal government and the private sector on one side, all against labour on the other side. These were some of the things that necessitated all those walkouts you saw.”

We Won’t Be Silenced Over Mass Suffering In Nigeria — NLC

Following the invitation of the President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Joe Ajaero, by the police on allegations of criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion and cybercrime, the labour movement yesterday said it will not be silenced by state-sponsored harassment, intimidation, attacks and persecution.

The NLC said it remained committed to its opposition to mass suffering and hunger occasioned by the anti-people policies of the Federal Government, saying some interest groups are doing everything possible to silence the current leadership of Congress.

It also called on Its affiliates to shut down the economy should Ajaero be arrested by the police.

This is as human rights activist and lawyer to the NLC, Chief Femi Falana, SAN, explained why Ajaero could not honour Police invitation for him to appear at the Force Headquarters yesterday, saying the labour leader can only appear on August 29.

These came as global workers’ groups and civil society organisations in the country, including Amnesty International Nigeria, ActionAid, among others, yesterday expressed angst against Ajaero’s invitation by the police.

One of the leaders of NLC, told Vanguard last night: “There are grand designs by some interest groups to silence NLC under the current leadership. But they fail to understand that we cannot be silenced.

“We are fighting a just cause. We have the right to express our views in a democracy. The workers elected us to fight and make demands for them. They are hungry, they are suffering, and they are dying and are in pain. These are what we are telling the government which they do not want to hear. These are the reasons they are after us, trying to cow us by all means.

“The operator of the bookshop (Iva Valley) has been on the second floor of Labour House for years. We did not bring him there. If he has issues with the police, what concerns us? We believe the state is using this as a cover-up. They aim to emasculate Labour because of their vested interest.”

Meanwhile, NLC has intimated the international community, the International Labour Organisation, ILO, and the International Trade Union Confederation, ITUC, over the harassment, intimidation, and Police summoning of its President, Joe Ajaero over alleged criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion and cybercrime.

Also, lawyers, under the Abuja Human Rights Lawyers and Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, led by Deji Adeyanju, and his group yesterday stormed Labour House, which is NLC headquarters, to show solidarity and vowed to follow the NLC President to the Police station whenever he was honouring the invitation.

According to lawyers, if need be, the Police should be prepared to arrest and detain all of them, alongside the NLC President.

Rights lawyer and activist, Deji Adeyanju, who confirmed this, said: “Yes, a coalition of Abuja lawyers just submitted a letter to the Police from Femi Falana, SAN, on behalf of NLC. Myself and three other lawyers, under the leadership of Femi Falana, did so today (yesterday).”

Report gathered that NLC leaders, besides sending the communiqué of the National Executive Council, NEC, meeting of yesterday to ILO, ITUC, has also intimated the international community of the grave developments of state harassment, intimidation, molestation of NLC and its leadership.

Already, the ITUC, which represents 191 million members of 337 affiliates in 167 countries and territories, including Nigeria, has raised the alarm over what it described as escalating attacks on the trade union movement in Nigeria.

ITUC in a statement by its General Secretary Luc Triangle, said: ITUC is gravely concerned by the escalating attacks on the trade union movement in Nigeria.

‘’This week, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Joe Ajaero, was summoned by the police as part of an investigation into ‘criminal conspiracy’ and ‘terrorism financing’.

‘’Earlier this month, heavily armed security forces raided and occupied the headquarters of the ITUC-affiliated NLC, arresting a union worker and wrecking the organisation’s bookshop. Reports indicated that 13 people were killed by security forces during a protest for economic justice.

“Since 2023, Nigerian trade unions have faced a campaign of harassment and intimidation, including the violent assault of Joe Ajaero in November. The situation in Nigeria is deeply concerning. These latest events come on the back of a sharp rise in intimidation and repression of trade unions.

“This includes the harassment of activists, the violation of collective bargaining rights and the violent suppression of peaceful protests.

“We see the systematic contravention of ILO conventions by the Nigerian government, particularly those related to freedom of association and the right to organise.

“Nigeria is a leader in Africa, it is important that the government there sets a good example regarding respect for human and labour rights and the rule of law. We call on the government to stop these attacks, including the intimidation and judicial harassment of Joe Ajaero and the NLC.”

Bad Government Policies, Not Minimum Wage, Responsible For Challenges Faced By Private Sector Businesses — NLC

 

NLC President Joe Ajaero has advocated for elected politicians to be put under a structured wage system.

Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says bad policies of the federal government, and not the new minimum wage of N250,000 being demanded for workers, are the major problems threatening business survival in the country.

President of NLC, Mr. Joe Ajaero, made the assertion on Tuesday in Lagos, when he addressed the 67th Annual General Meeting of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA).

Ajaero blamed members of the organised private sector for keeping silent when President Bola Tinubu removed petrol subsidies and floated the naira.

The NLC president also said the time had come to bring all elected politicians under the wage system, even if it would warrant creating levels 18, 19 and 20 for them, so that everyone’s remuneration would be clear to all Nigerians.

Ajaero said, “The fact is that when you destroy the economy (with policies) everybody will suffer. I met President Tinubu last week. And he said, ‘Ajaero, you are holding my hands. After the first increase in the price of petroleum products, you did not want me to increase it again. If you allow me to increase it, I will pay that minimum wage.’

“Tinubu gave analysis that petrol is N2,000 in Cameroon; N1,800 in Niger; and N1,700 in Ghana. That shows you where we are heading to.

“So, we should not break our heads over this issue of minimum wage.

“It is not the salaries you are paying workers that are affecting businesses. Rather, the ease of doing business in Nigeria is the major problem.

“We are here to tell NECA that when they (federal government) increased tariff, you kept quiet. Sorry to say this. But it is telling more on businesses. It is biting.

“Those of you that were running factories on diesel know that you can no longer do that. These are the problems. Not the workers’ salaries.

“You will go to the black market to buy dollar at N1,500 to import your inputs. But, how are you going to sell your finished products? So, there is enough pressure on everyone.”

Ajaero said NLC was not looking at figures, but the cost of living, because a plate of rice served without meat and water was now N300 or more.

He stated, “Even the N60,000 that NECA and the government proposed for us cannot afford a loaf of bread daily at the price of N2,000 per loaf.

“These are the things that make us to be complaining. How much is a tuber of yam? That is the challenge we have in this country.

“They said that our N250,000 is not realistic. But is their N60,000 realistic? How many families can leave on that?”

Ajaero said N60,000 monthly minimum wage would not have been a problem if the government had implemented proposals, like the introduction of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles, for public transportation before it removed the petrol subsidies.

He said, “The NLC has proposed many options for government to address, apart from the minimum wage. If they had addressed those issues before saying that subsidy is gone, you will not have these challenges.

“Nobody will be under pressure when subsidy was gone because there will be alternatives. They have to wear their thinking cap so that we will salvage this country.

“If the CNG that we agreed with them was implemented, a vehicle that you are filling with N50,000 can be filled with N15,000 gas.

“If you are selling PMS at N2,000 and I have the option of CNG that is okay. It is a question of converting my vehicle to CNG.”

The NLC leader also used the occasion to ask industrialists to be mindful of workers’ safety, and said safety standards were being violated.

“There used to be factory inspectors in the Ministry of Labour, who went round the factories to ensure these safety standards were maintained. As of today, I am not sure if this is still the case,” he said.

Ajaero stated that the National Assembly was meeting to decentralise wages, even though the International Labour Organisation (ILO) convention was clear that wages were a national matter.

He insisted, “Nigeria is not an exception. But if that is allowed, all of them (legislators, governors, and president) would be brought under the minimum wage.

“Even if they want, let them have level 18, 19 and 20. But let them come under the wage system. And if it is possible, let the legislators work on part time basis. The money being spent there is unimaginable. We should know your wages.”

Ajaero called on the federal government to constitute the boards of the National Pension Commission (PENCON), National Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), and National Directorate of Employment (NDE), among others.

He said, “The activities of all these are organisations, where we are institutional members, are being paralysed by Nigeria’s government by not constituting their boards.

“More than one year in office is enough for the boards of NDE, NSITF, PENCON, etc. to be reconstituted so that we will serve the workers and the employers.”

NLC, TUC Shut Down Ikeja, Ibadan DisCos Over Electricity Tariff Hike

 

Workers have stormed various offices of electricity distribution companies to protest over the Band A tariff hike.

The workers, under the aegis of the Nigerian Labour Congress  and the Trade Union Congress, thonged the offices of the DisCos on Monday, preventing workers from resuming work for the day.

In Lagos, the workers were sighted at the corporate headquarters of the Ikeja Electricity Distribution company, singing and calling for the reversal of the Band A tariff.

In Oyo, protesters stormed the office of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, picketing the same.

It was gathered that policemen were in attendance to forestall any breakdown of law and order.

The NLC and TUC gave the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) a seven-day ultimatum to reverse the revised tariff.

However, the Federal Government said a reversal of the tariff would spell doom for the power sector, urging Nigerians to bear the temporary pains.

Amid this, the International Monetary Fund has advised the Federal Government to remove electricity subsidies in other bands to save the economy.

The NLC and TUC gave the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) a seven-day ultimatum to reverse the revised tariff.

However, the Federal Government said a reversal of the tariff would spell doom for the power sector, urging Nigerians to bear the temporary pains.

Amid this, the International Monetary Fund has advised the Federal Government to remove electricity subsidies in other bands to save the economy.

New Minimum Wage: You Cannot Impose A Wage level On States – El-rufai Tells NLC

Governor Nasir El-rufai of Kaduna state has said the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC cannot impose wage level on state governors.

El-rufai said this in an interview on Channels Television’s Roadmap 2019 over the insistence of labour union on N30,000 minimum wage across all states.

Court Stops NLC, TUC From Embarking On Planned Strike Over Minimum Wage

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria has ordered the organised labour, comprising the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress not to embark on its indefinite strike scheduled to commence on November 6.