NLC urges FG to engage stakeholders on wage review

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged the Federal Government to engage the relevant stakeholders on its proposed wage review for certain agencies.

Peter Ozo-Eson, the workers’ union General Secretary said this in an interview with NAN, Friday, in Abuja.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had recently said that government was considering increasing workers wages especially on bonuses of certain government agencies instead of increasing wage across the board.

Ozo-Eson, however, called on Nigerians workers not to be confused between a general wage review and a minimum wage review.

“The issue of a wage review is a matter for collective bargaining and it is not a matter that is tied to the minimum wage.

“Therefore, if the government has ideas as to how to review wages of its employees generally, then it should use the auspices of the framework of collective bargaining in the sector to do that discussion.

“And in the case of the public sector, the Joint Negotiating Council is the appropriate negotiating body.

“And government should engage them through collective bargaining discussions in order to agree on what is the framework of the review of wages. I think these two things need to be separated,‘’ he said.

Ozo-Eson, however, noted that the minimum wage review was a legal matter and was through a promulgation or amendment to a law, saying that the minimum wage sets the floor for the lowest wage for which all employees of a given number of workers must abide by.