The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Joe Ajaero, has has today disclosed that contrary to peoples knowledge, said that the N35,000 wage award signed with the Federal Government will continue to run until a new minimum wage is determined by the two parties. The NLC leader stated this today while answering some questions during an interview with pressmen in Abuja.
Recall that during the industrial action threat by the NLC, President Bola Tinubu, had on October 1, 2023, approved a N35,000 wage award to all Treasury-paid workers for six months as the provisional wage increment to cushion the effect for the removal of fuel subsidy pending when new minimum wage will kick-start.
Accordingly, the wage award was part of an agreement reached between organised labour and the federal government to cushion the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy that was biting hard as it’s removal was un-ceremonially.
Contrary to the commitment of the federal government, only two months of the said wage award has been paid since it’s commencement in September 2023.
However, speaking against the backdrop of the payment of the wage award so far, Ajaero clarifies that the payment would run for only six months before the commencement of the national minimum wage.
He said, “We did not sign a six-month wage agreement with the Federal Government; we signed a wage agreement that will be in existence until the new minimum wage is determined.
“We are in the process of collating the compliance of the federal government on the payment of the wage award, and we have even had a conversation with the leadership of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, on this.
He explained, “We have asked our affiliates to collate the level of compliance with this, and we are still waiting for their correspondence.”
