TUC gives states January 31 ultimatum on new minimum wage

The Trade Union Congress has given state governments that are yet to implement the N30, 000 new minimum wage up until January 31 to comply or risk industrial action from workers.

The union gave the ultimatum in a communiqué issued at the end of its national executive council meeting in Lagos on Thursday.

The communiqué was signed by Quadri Olaleye, president, TUC, Quadri Olaleye and the secretary general, TUC, Musa Lawal.

It read in part, “The congress advises all state governments that have not complied with the implementation and immediate payment of the N30, 000 new national minimum wage to commence negotiations and implementation on or before 31st January, 2020.

“Otherwise the state governments should be responsible for the consequences of their failure. State councils have been directed to commence mobilisation of their members immediately.”

On Monday, the Organised labour said it would meet to review the minimum wage negotiations between states and workers across Nigeria.

Ekiti, Cross River, Benue, Gombe, Osun, Sokoto, Oyo, Niger, Ogun, Enugu, Bayelsa, Rivers, Kwara, Taraba and Anambra states have reportedly not agreed on consequential adjustments of salaries.

While Lagos, Kaduna, Bauchi, Kastina and Borno states had agreed to pay the new minimum wage, other states started negotiations few days to the end of the December 31, 2019 deadline.

Commenting further on the current status of the minimum wage, Olaleye said six states had signed to commence the  implementation.

He disclosed that 15 states were negotiating and some would soon conclude negotiations.

He noted that if the states failed to pay the minimum wage, they were disobeying a directive from President Muhammadu Buhari.