In anticipation of the 2024 Workers’ Day, organized labor published a list of demands on Sunday, urging the federal government to set a new minimum wage by May 1.
In an interview with reporters, Tommy Etim, the National Vice President of the Trade Union Congress, compared Workers’ Day to Christmas Day for laborers.
He noted that there were high expectations, especially in light of the fact that some recently implemented government policies had continued to drive an increasing number of Nigerians into poverty.
According to Etim, employees nationwide were anticipating the increased minimum pay.
He said, “The Workers’ Day is a type of Christmas Day to Nigerian workers and there are lots of expectations. The welfare of workers is paramount and should be taken into consideration.
“It is also expected that lots of incentives will be rolled out to cushion the effects of the policies initiated by the government which have continued to limit the purchasing power of workers and Nigerians as a whole.
“Presently, the purchasing power is weak in the country. It is also expected that a new minimum wage will be announced on that day. Workers are looking forward to that.
“Also, we expect that the government finally use the opportunity to launch the CNG buses which it promised over a year ago. These are our expectations.”
According to reports, the TUC and the Nigerian Labour Congress, which are part of organized labor, have urged that N615,000 become the new minimum wage for workers in the nation.
An ideal source; an executive in organized labor, who wished to remain anonymous due to lack of authority to speak on the subject, disclosed in confidence that the NLC and TUC conferred before deciding on a new wage of N615,000 per month.
The insider, who served on one of the government-appointed subcommittees tasked with negotiating a new national minimum wage, hinted that an increase in pay was possible given the recent increase in electricity prices.
“We (NLC and TUC) have given our figures to the government (on the minimum wage), and it is N615,000. That is the position of the NLC and TUC on the matter. The government has been informed as well,” the unionist said.
