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Government, Labour Disagree On Minimum Wage

“But when they met again on Friday, government representatives told the meeting that they had a challenge which was very technical."

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Talks between the Nigerian Government and organised labour over the implementation of the N30,000 new minimum wage collapsed on Friday in Abuja, the country’s capital, according to a report by PUNCH.

The proposal from the government is 10 per cent salary increase for workers on grade level 07 to 14 and 5.5 per cent for workers on grade level 15 to 17.

However, labour is demanding 29 per cent for workers on grade level 07 to 14 and 24 per cent for those on grade level 15 to 17.

A source said, “The two sides resolved at the last meeting that the position of labour and that of the representatives of the government be sent to President Muhammadu Buhari.

“But when they met again on Friday, government representatives told the meeting that they had a challenge which was very technical.

“They said the technical committee must first report the decisions (positions of the two parties) to the plenary, that is the main negotiating committee, before taking it to their principal. To us, this was in order.

“The main committee assigned the job to the technical committee so it is in order that the report be taken to the main committee. We agreed that the report should be sent to the plenary which also met same day.

“After that it was agreed that the report be sent to President Buhari with the hope that a realistic government position will come up. T

“Those at the committee said their mandate did not go beyond taking the report and presenting it to their principal.”