Just in: Minimum wage negotiations hit brick walls as FG proposes N62,000

The meeting of the Tripartite Committee on the New National Minimum Wage (NNMW) ended in a stalemate on Friday night, with the Federal Government increasing its offer by N2,000 to N62,000 while organized labour reduced its demand from N494,000 to N250,000.

June 7 negotiations marked a second day of unsuccessful talks, reports Persecondnews.

Prior to the Federal Government’s increased offer, state governors had already indicated that they would not be able to pay the initial proposed minimum wage of N60,000, let alone the revised figure of N62,000.

Meanwhile, the organized private sector (OPS) has expressed support for the government’s proposed minimum wage.

Persecondnews recalls that labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), temporarily suspended their strike on Tuesday, which had begun on Monday, for a five-day period, ending today.

The Federal Government’s failure to meet the May 31 deadline for implementing a new minimum wage, as well as its reluctance to reverse the recent increase in electricity tariffs, prompted the call for a strike.

The Tripartite Committee has suspended further negotiations due to a deadlock over the wage amount.

While the government proposed N62,000, labour unions are insisting on N250,000, resulting in a significant gap.

The committee will report the impasse to President Tinubu for further consideration and discussion.

Persecondnews recalls that following a six-hour meeting with organized labour leaders in Abuja on Monday night, the Federal Government reaffirmed President Tinubu’s dedication to revising the minimum wage, building on the initial offer of N60,000, in a bid to reach a mutually acceptable figure.

The agreement stated: “The President of Nigeria, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, is committed to establishing a national minimum wage higher than N60,000, and the Tripartite Committee will convene daily for the next week to finalise an agreeable national minimum wage.”

The organised labour also agreed to “immediately hold meetings of its organs to consider this new offer, and no worker would face victimisation as a consequence of participating in the industrial action.”

The resolutions were signed on behalf of the Federal Government by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr. Mohammed Idris, and the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mrs. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha.