The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has asked states yet to implement the new minimum wage to do so and those owing workers salaries to pay up or prepare for mass industrial action and protests this New Year.
In a new year message titled, ‘Beyond survival: Nigerian workers and people deserve better in 2021’, and released by the NLC president, Ayuba Wabba, the union said some states were going back on their agreement after signing a collective bargaining agreement with state councils of the labour movement on the payment of consequential salary adjustment and pension benefits owing to the new national minimum wage.
The statement read, “Accordingly, we call on all our state councils still struggling with their state governments on the payment of the national minimum wage and consequential salary increase and those whose state governments have unilaterally cut wages and are owing workers salary arrears to prepare for mass industrial action and protests this New Year.
“Furthermore, we insist that government must make possible the enabling environment that would foster job creation and full employment in line with the constitutional responsibilities of the state to ensure the welfare and security of citizens.”
NLC also noted that the rate of unemployment and poverty in the country contribute to the breakdown of law and order and widespread anarchy in the country.
