Trade Union Congress has called on governors yet to implement the new minimum wage and its consequential adjustments to do so to avoid industrial action in the states.
TUC president Festus Osifo made the call while addressing journalists at the end of its National Executive Council meeting on Tuesday in Abuja.
Mr Osifo said that the union had raised concerns about the slow pace of implementation in some states and issues affecting workers and the downtrodden.
According to him, some states have made progress with implementing the minimum wage with up to 80 per cent of the necessary adjustment processes already in place, while others remain significantly behind.
“But there are still some states like Zamfara and Cross River that are still backward, and that is why today the organised labour in Cross River is organising a two-day warning strike.
“If the government is not responsive, that two days will now escalate to an indefinite strike. In Zamfara, a similar thing may likely happen. We are calling on them to quickly get to the table, have a conversation and reach a conclusion on what the consequential adjustment should be,” he said.
Mr Osifo said the minimum wage issue was beyond the simple announcement of wage figures such as N30,000, N80,000, or N90,000. He said that the core issue was the implementation of the necessary adjustments to align wages with the new national standard.
The TUC president, therefore, urged the state governments to prioritise the welfare of workers and engage in meaningful dialogue with labour unions to resolve the matter.
“There are some states where there is no conversation whatsoever about the implementation of the new minimum wage.
“We call on these states to implement the new national minimum wage, along with the consequential adjustments, so that workers can start benefiting,” he said.
Mr Osifo also said rising taxes would increase the financial burden on Nigerians, which could lead to tax evasion.
He, therefore, urged government authorities to reconsider any proposed tax hikes, particularly at a time when many workers were struggling with the delayed implementation of wage adjustments.
(NAN)
