Union says no going back on N56,000 minimum wage

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April 29, 2016 2:41 PM

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has said that the organised labour will shut the country down if the Federal Government decided to neglect their demand of N56, 000 as minimum wage.

TUC President, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama while speaking to journalists in Abuja on Thursday, April 28, 2016, urged State Governors who complain of lack of money for their inability to pay the new wage should honourably resign from office.

Kaigama said going by the current economic realities, Nigerian workers should have demanded between N90, 000 to N100, 000 as minimum wage, stressing that workers are fair for demanding N56,000 as minimum wage.

"About N27, 000 is being use monthly to feed each prisoner. This does not include the fact that the prisoner does not pay rent as well as other utility bills like water and electricity."

"They will be inviting trouble if they did not accept the N56,000 as new minimum wage, " Kaigama said.

"What we are saying is that we have followed the due process. The law says after five years, there will be a review and we have followed that law. No government that is responsible will throw that issue away. You will be inviting trouble. But like we are saying, N56, 000 is the barest minimum we have considered. Otherwise, if you relate it to what government spend on prisoners, then Nigerian workers should be asking for between N90, 000 to N100, 000. We are even being reasonable," Kaigama said.

"If the other side (government) does not behave reasonable, we will wake them up. If they don't react positively, they should expect reactions from us," Kaigama said adding that any state that cannot afford to pay their workers should merge with other states that are more viable.

"Any Governor who can't afford the minimum wage should put forth his resignation letter and tell his citizens that he cannot afford to pay" Kaigamma added.

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