The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has issued a deadline of January 31, 2020, for state governments yet to implement the N30,000 new national minimum wage, warning of potential industrial action if they fail to comply.
The ultimatum was outlined in a communiqué signed by TUC President Quadri Olaleye and Secretary General Musa Lawal, released after the union’s National Executive Council meeting in Lagos on Thursday.
The statement urges non-compliant states to begin negotiations and payments immediately, holding them accountable for any resulting consequences, and directs state councils to mobilize members accordingly.
Progress and Challenges
Organized labor plans to review minimum wage negotiations between states and workers, with a meeting scheduled for Monday.
Currently, Ekiti, Cross River, Benue, Gombe, Osun, Sokoto, Oyo, Niger, Ogun, Enugu, Bayelsa, Rivers, Kwara, Taraba, and Anambra states have not agreed on consequential salary adjustments.
In contrast, Lagos, Kaduna, Bauchi, Kastina, and Borno states have committed to the new wage, while others initiated talks close to the December 31, 2019, deadline.
Olaleye noted that six states have signed to start implementation, 15 are negotiating, and some are nearing completion.
Broader Labor Concerns
Olaleye emphasized that non-payment defies a directive from President Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), clarifying that the December 31 ultimatum originated outside TUC.
The communiqué also addressed insecurity, calling for federal support for state security outfits, and labor issues, condemning casualization and “slave labor.”
He advocated for a labor law review to reflect modern workplace needs and opposed moving labor matters from the exclusive legislative list.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress accused state governors of neglecting worker welfare, spending public funds on weddings, funerals, and private jets, though it remains cautious about disrupting ongoing negotiations.
