Reconsider N22,500 offer, don’t go on strike, CSOs appeal to Labour

Center for Credible and Leadership and Citizens Awareness inconjuction with about other 79 right organisatios has called on Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Organisation (TUC) and other Organised Labour Unions, to reconsider its stand on the planned nationwide strike.

 

The coalition also urged the labour unions to reconsider the offer of N22,500, adding that any more increase has been demanded might lead to inflation.

 

Addressing a press conference on Friday in Abuja, spokesman of the coalition, Dr. Nwambu Gabriel, stated that the burden of paying salaries is on the state government, saying it is a one thing to agree but another to be able to pay base on the prevailing economic situation in Nigeria.

 

According to him, it is also the responsibility of Nigerian workers to ensure that the economy situation of Nigeria does not collapse.

 

“As a coalition of Civil Society Organizations therefore, who are mindful of the degree of commitment of the average worker in Nigeria, we hereby call on the organized Labour, NLC, TUC, etc as true patriotic citizens of Nigeria they are, to please reconsider the of 22, 500 naira as realistic and achievable in other to avert an imminent collapse of our economy and a possible retrenchment of the workforce.

“The primary responsibility of any Government is beyond salary payment.

 

Consequently, today the 2nd day of November, 2018, may we also advice that embarking on another national strike action nor a boycott of the 2019 General Election which tantamount to disenfranchising the entire nation’s labour force is notonly anti‘democratic but will be counterproductive to the Nigerian state.

 

The coalition urged the Labour union to see reasons with government, especially at the state level in the onerous task of nation building and sacrifice to their fatherland.

 

“Several states still owe salaries not because the individual Governors do not want to pay but because resources available to individual states and the internally generated revenue (IGR) vary from one state to the other.

“The federal government cannot also compel states to pay specific amount as minimum wage because the infrastructural, educational, health, etc. needs of each state also vary.

“Now, the tendency is that if states are compelled by any form of legislation to pay some specific amount as minimum wage, then the states might resort to the only available option to the retrenchment of the work force. This option IS what the states are consistently trying to avoid because of the prevailing economic condition.

 

“The Nigerian economy is already over burdened with very high re-current expenditure which is sourced abroad via borrowing. Our economy is hemorrhaging seriously. The IMF has warned Nigeria on the possible consequences of excessive borrowing. We can further worsen this situation via a unilateral increase of wages thus causing a Cash-Push and Make-Up type of inhahon.

“Wage increase right from the Udoji Award is known to be a major cause of inflation.

 

The life wire of our economy is hinged on crude oil sales. Today, the price of crude is no longer what it used to be.”

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