FG, Labour, and OPS Resume Minimum Wage Negotiations

The Federal Government and organized Labour are set to resume negotiations on a new minimum wage tomorrow, following three unsuccessful attempts to reach an agreement. The resumption of talks comes as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, confirmed yesterday that the union has received a new invitation from the Chairman of the Tripartite Committee, Gobi Aji, with the letter signed by the committee’s Secretary, Ekpo Nta.

Ajaero emphasized that while the union will attend the meeting, their ultimatum expires tomorrow. “If they present a better offer, we will accept it. But we will not attend the meeting for the sake of talks. We will not go into a monologue,” he stated.

Earlier this week, negotiations stalled when Labour officials, who had reduced their demand to N494,000, walked out of the meeting after the government raised its offer to N60,000. They did not return, leading to an impasse.

In a statement, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring that workers receive a living wage, but urged Labour to be considerate and patriotic in their demands. The statement highlighted the government’s efforts to balance economic recovery post-COVID-19 with fair wage policies.

“We appeal to organized labour and other relevant stakeholders to recognize that our economy is still recovering from the pandemic and other economic shocks,” Onyejeocha said. “The government’s offer of N60,000 is a demonstration of our willingness to ensure a mutually beneficial agreement.”

Despite the deadlock, Onyejeocha expressed optimism about the ongoing negotiations, noting that Labour leaders had taken a recess to consult with key stakeholders and promised to return for further discussions.

The Tripartite Committee, led by former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Goni Aji, has until tomorrow to conclude its deliberations and present a resolution, following an ultimatum from the NLC and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC).

As the negotiations continue, the government maintains that it is dedicated to improving the standard of living for all Nigerians and is appealing for collective effort to navigate the current economic challenges.