New Minimum Wage: Labour Gives December 31 Deadline To Governors

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Organized Labour has said it was ready to go to war with any governor that fails to implement the N30,000 minimum wage by December 31, 2019.

Six months ago, President Muhammadu Buhari signed the New Minimum Wage Act into law.

However, only five states – Kaduna, Kebbi, Lagos, Adamawa and Jigawa – have commenced implementation and payment of the new wage so far.

The Secretary-General of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Musa-Lawal Ozigi, has now said any governor that fails to implement or show commitment before the Tuesday deadline, would be deemed to have declared war against labour.

He told newsmen in Abuja that: “Most states are working hard. Let us see how they go. Deadline does not mean that if it expires we will take action immediately. It simply means that the grace period is over and anything can happen thereafter.

“In other words, when you give a deadline or an ultimatum, once it expires, it does not mean you will take action immediately.

“It simply means that the grace period given to government is over. From that moment, you will not be held for any action.

“On the minimum wage, we are also watching. I can assure you that by the end of next week, if any state governor has not done anything relating to the minimum wage he has only declared war against labour and we know what to do.

“We are listening to every state to know exactly what is happening so that it will give us opportunity to prepare for the worst case ahead.

“We know most states have started, especially in the north and south. But by Tuesday, we would have been able to gather our data to know the next line of action.

“Even some states have set up their own committee to ensure that within one week they finish. That means they also have that Tuesday (deadline) in mind.”