The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says it believes the new minimum wage should be negotiated to N100,000 or N200,000 owing to the growing cost of living in the country.
The union and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had intended to embark on strike on Tuesday, October 4, as a result of the impact of the fuel subsidy removal.
The labour unions, however, decided to shelve the planned strike after meeting with government officials in Abuja on Monday, October 2.
The President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, stated that the agreement was aimed at granting the government an opportunity to meet its commitments as agreed with organized labour.
He clarified that the N35,000 wage increment, among the government’s concessions, is not a new minimum wage, adding that the minimum wage might reach as high as N200,000.
He said,
“So, it is not a minimum wage but it is a wage added to the minimum wage. So, should we in March, April, or before that time negotiate the new wage to be N100,000 or N200,000, it would be inscribed as minimum wage law which should be the law in existence,” he said on Channels TV.
Emphasizing that the N35,000 wage award is not an addition to the country’s minimum wage of N30,000, the NLC president said many factors would be considered in arriving at a new minimum wage.
“Certain things would come into play when we discuss it, inflation, cost of living. Every other thing would come into it. We would not go to ask for N65,000. We would go for a realistic amount because N65,000 is about $70 which is not up to minimum wage.
“The minimum wage is a product of law. Until it is legislated in the National Assembly, it is not a minimum wage,” he added.