The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Abia State chapter has given a 14-day ultimatum to Governor Alex Otti to make full payment of the ₦30,000 national minimum wage and the ₦35,000 palliative wage award approved by the federal government for workers in the state.
Speaking via a letter addressed to the governor, the NLC and Trade Union Congress, TUC, Abia state council demanded that the ₦30,000 former national minimum wage and the ₦35,000 wage award approved by the federal government 8 months ago for workers be paid without any further delay.
The Union’s ultimatum was contained in a letter signed by the Comrade Ogbonnaya Okoro and Comrade Emma Alozie, Abia NLC Chairman and Secretary, respectively; Comrade Eneogwe Ihechi and Comrade George Okogbue, Abia TUC Chairman and Secretary, respectively; and Chairman and Secretary of the Joint Negotiating Council, Comrade Innocent Ekwenye and Comrade Oby Maduako, respectively;
They noted that a committee was set up to produce a salary structure based on the ₦30,000 former national minimum wage which the state government failed to implement.
The organized Labour explained that it relied on the national organized Labour meeting held in Abuja on Monday, May 20,2024.
The letter read; “Consequent upon the meeting held by the national labour leadership on Monday,May 20,2024,which the state councils were directed to issue 14 day ultimatum to various state governments who have not implemented the N30,000 former minimum wage and N35,000 palliative wage award.
“Furtherance to the directive,the organized labour in the state comprising the NLC,TUC and JPSNC,met on Wednesday, and noted with dismay the various challenges facing labour unions and their members in the state.
“These include non implementation of the former national minimum wage to Abia Non implementation of the N35,000 palliative wage award to Abia workers. The organized labour observed with utmost regret that from 2019 till date ,the Abia state government has failed to fully implement the national minimum wage as agreed upon by the organized Labour, government and employers in the private sector and gazetted by the federal government. Since the state government has continued to shun every attempt for further discussion on the minimum wage.
“The organized labour also critically viewed the issue of non implementation of the N35,000 palliative wage award 8 months after its announcement by the state government as disheartening and this has dampened the moral of workers in the state.
“Since government is a continuum, Your Excellency, you are humbly requested to put in place necessary machinery to kick start the process of implementing in full the N30,000 former national minimum wage and the N35,000 wage award within 14 days in line with the directive of the joint NEC meeting of the NLC and TUC.”