Organized Labour have rejected Federal Government’s decision to implement the ‘No Work, No Pay’ law despite its being backed by Section 43 of the Trade Dispute Act, emphasizing that the Government should address issues causing the industrial action instead.
United Labour Congress President, Hon Joe Ajero, said if workers’ salaries are guaranteed, the spate of strikes will surely reduce and the worries of the Minister and the Federal Government would have been largely addressed.
“We understand the frustration of the minister over the spate of industrial crisis in the country but we would have thought that the minister should have properly situated the dynamics of these issues and how they eventually led to crisis”.
He stated that Nigerian workers do not enjoy going on strike as it is more tasking both physically and psychologically.
“The Minister should actually look for ways of ensuring that the employers who cheat on their workers and deny them their rights and privileges as workers are punished”.
Ajero, expressed surprise that the Minister was occupied with seeking ways to punish victims of workplace abuse and deprivation, rather than seeking to stop the perpetrators.
“ULC will want to use this opportunity to call on the National Assembly once again to resurrect the Bill criminalising the non-payment of salaries in Nigeria”.
Earlier, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, stated that the Federal Government as part of measures to restore harmony into the public service in the country have decided to strictly observe and implement the law of ‘No Work, No Pay’.
He said this on Wednesday at the end of the Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja.
Motion to Review the National Minimum Wage
Peterson Akpatason, moved a motion urging the Federal Government to review the national minimum wage, in order to forestall the nationwide industrial action threatened by Labour Unions.
“A nationwide strike action embarked upon by workers at this time is capable of rolling back recent economic gains”.
“Such strike could return the Nation’s fragile economy into recession that will further exacerbate the suffering of the masses”.
Akpatason added that high inflation rates and the weak exchange value of the Naira had eroded the purchasing power of fixed income earners in the Country.
He mentioned that the Minimum Wage Act of 2011 set the lowest payable salary at ₦18,000, adding that the Nigerian Labour Congress, the National Employers Consultative Association and the Federal Government have agreed to set up a joint review team to study and recommend an appropriate rate.
The Lawmakers, who took turns to talk on the issue, agreed that N18, 000 was no longer realistic and suggested N30, 000 as the New Minimum Wage.
All Progressive Congress Member, representing Ayedaade/Irewole/Isokan Federal Constituency, Mrs. Ayo Omidiran, said “this N18, 000 of today cannot take any worker home, if we really want to fight corruption and crime”.
Chairman, House Committee on Science and Technology, Beni Lar, also said “we should look at something not less than N30, 000”
“Sometimes I ask myself, a worker probably has a family; a wife and three children, how do they cope?
“They have bills to pay; there is rent to pay and the children have to go to school. Seriously, N18, 000 is unimaginable”.
APC Member from Kano State, said “no worker in Nigeria today can survive N18, 000 per month”.
The Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara mandated the committee on Employment, Labour and Productivity to ensure implementation of the directive collectively taken by the lawmakers.
The Federal Government on May 18, 2016 had earlier ordered the invocation of Statutory Provision of ‘No Work, No Pay’ on any worker who joined the 2016 strike, by the Nigerian Labour Congress over the hike in the price of fuel.
State Governors who implemented the ‘No Work, No Pay’ Law
In June 2017, Cross Rivers State Governor, Prof Ben Ayade, invoked the ‘No Work, No Pay’ law against striking workers.
Nassarawa State Governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, also invoked the ‘No Work, No Pay’ law as well, when public sector workers embarked on an industrial action on June 8, 2017.
In January 2017, Bayelsa State Chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, in a meeting with Governor Seriake Dickson lent its support to the Government reform and effective implementation of the ‘No Work, No Pay’ law.
