Tinubu invites labour for talks over new minimum wage

President Bola Tinubu has invited the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to a meeting at the Aso Villa on Thursday, July 11, 2024, to discuss the new minimum wage .

The meeting will focus on the proposal of ₦62,000 by the government and private sector, as well as the ₦250,000 demand by the Organized Labour ².

According to a reliable source, President Bola Tinubu is eager to resolve the ongoing dispute over the new minimum wage.

This comes after the Federal Government and private sector stakeholders agreed on a figure of ₦62,000 in June, which was subsequently rejected by labour unions, who are pushing for a higher amount of ₦250,000.

The president’s willingness to engage in dialogue suggests a potential breakthrough in the negotiations.

The government had urged labour unions to accept the proposed ₦62,000 minimum wage, warning that higher amounts could lead to job losses, but the unions refused to budge.

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) remains adamant in its demand for a ₦250,000 minimum wage, as reaffirmed by its President, Festus Osifo, at a recent event in Abuja on July 9, 2024.

Osifo reiterated the stance of organised labour, emphasizing their commitment to achieving a higher minimum wage for workers.

Festus Osifo, the President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), reaffirmed that ₦250,000 is the desired minimum wage for Nigerian workers, and the union is committed to achieving this goal.

He also assured that the negotiation process with the government will be expedited, aiming to reach a timely resolution that benefits the workers.

“The minimum wage negotiations cannot be dead. The 2019 minimum wage (that has expired) took about two years to see the light of day. We started the negotiations in 2017.

“We promised you when we started in January (this year) that we will ensure this one is fast-tracked for us not to be in the conundrum that we were in 2019 which took two years.”

As labour union leaders prepare to meet with President Bola Tinubu on Thursday, Nigerian workers eagerly anticipate the outcome of the meeting, hoping for a positive resolution to the minimum wage dispute and a better deal for their welfare.