Cautions against the idea that losing a job due to minimum wage.
The decision by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to declare a statewide strike is not in the best interests of the nation and its citizens, according to Minister of State for Labour and Employment Nkeiruka Onyejoecha, who made this statement on Friday.
The Minister has therefore issued a warning, stating that initiating a strike in the midst of ongoing negotiations would worsen not just the country’s economic problems but also the misery of millions of Nigerians who are already finding it difficult to make ends meet on a daily basis.
Onyejeocha stated that the “government has consistently demonstrated commitment and goodwill throughout the negotiations with organised labour” in a statement released by her Special Advisor on Media, Emameh Gabriel.
She clarified that the government had carefully considered the country’s economic realities and incorporated creative solutions into its recommendations.
She said the recommendations are part of a larger package that includes increased financial access for Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs), the introduction of CNG-fueled buses, and a pay raise for federal workers to N60,000.
The government has also promised to invest in a number of strategically important fields, including manufacturing, education, healthcare, agriculture, and many more that are now in the works.
The Minister issued a warning, saying that raising the minimum wage shouldn’t result in a large loss of jobs, especially in the organised private sector, which employs the majority of the people in the country.
“This sector is crucial to the country’s economic growth and stability,” the speaker asserts.
The government’s position reflects its commitment to striking a compromise between the demands of workers and the economic realities of the nation and is based on a thorough grasp of the negotiations.
Establishing a minimum wage that is both sustainable and practical is the aim in order to prevent any unfavourable effects on the economy.
By using this strategy, the government hopes to protect the interests of companies and employees alike, making sure that any agreement struck is win-win and doesn’t impede the nation’s economic development.
She went on, “Maintaining unity in the workforce and promoting national progress require this balanced position.
Onyejeocha expressed dismay that despite the government’s flexibility in moving the meeting from Monday to Friday, May 31st, in order to expedite the talks, organised labour unexpectedly withdrew from the negotiations on Friday.
Following the government’s proposed 100% salary increase and a number of worker incentives, labour unions persisted in demanding an astounding 1,547% increase in pay.
It is commonly accepted that, considering the nation’s current economic situation, the labour unions’ demands are unreasonable.
The requirement for sustainable economic growth and the nation’s budgetary limitations are taken into consideration by the administration.
On the other hand, labour demands appear to be out of step with economic reality, which could put the same advances they are trying to accomplish in jeopardy.
“The government’s openness to communication and its apparent adaptability during the talks highlight its dedication to achieving a win-win outcome.
The minister said, “But labor’s rigidity and unreasonable demands could impede the gains reached thus far, hurting the workers they represent and the country as a whole in the long run.
But she said that “strikes will disproportionately harm the most vulnerable segments of our society” and urged the unions to reevaluate their choice and carry on having productive conversations to find a solution that works for everyone.
She called on organised labour to keep acting in good faith and according to the social dialogue’s tenets.
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