“We will defend our position on minimum wage by all means”____ NLC, Wabba

The President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Ayuba Wabba said Nigerian workers are prepared to defend their position on the minimum wage with whatever it takes.

Wabba spoke yesterday in Abuja when House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila said the legislature would avoid anything that would harm Nigerian workers.

Gbajabiamila assured the Labour that they would not partake in a Bill seeking to remove the minimum wage from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List.

Moreso, the NLC president noted that what the workers are seeking is that the government must respect the views of the International Labour Organization on minimum wage. Which, according to him, Nigeria is subjected to.

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According to him, the demand for having a uniform minimum is different from the issue of the minimum wage which they are clamouring for.

“The fact is that the minimum wage has never been given to workers on a platter of gold. Jigawa, Yobe, Borno started implementing the minimum wage first before others. Rivers State did not until we went there to protest. So, it is not about resources but priority.

“Some of the governors gave us information that they were contacted on this issue and how it was being driven. So, we are working on the basis of information. We are ready to defend our position.

“If we are to start the restructuring of wages, I think it should start from the political class. When salaries were reviewed by 50 per cent in 2011, those of political office holders were reviewed by 800 per cent.

“So, if it is about the ability to pay, it should start from that stage. Our own is only minimum wage while some are collecting maximum wage.”

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The NLC President said: “Minimum wage in America is per hour and it is described as the lowest wage that is to be paid to a worker, as mandated by Federal law. States can pay more once the minimum is set. Presently, the national minimum wage in America, which is set by Federal law, is $7.29.

“States can pay higher, but cannot pay lower. States in America are paying higher. When we had the previous minimum wage, there were states that were paying higher.”

Addressing labour leaders, Gbajabiamila urged Nigerian workers to stop embarking on strikes.