The organized labour has again criticized political office holders over a bill that seeks to remove minimum wage negotiations from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent legislative list.
The National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, AYUBA WABBA, during a meeting between the House of Representatives leadership and labour leaders, said the restructuring of wages should start with political officeholders.
At the meeting were the Speaker of the House, FEMI GBAJABIAMILA; Majority Leader, AL HASSAN ADO-DOGUWA; Deputy Majority Leader, PETER AKPATASON; sponsor of the bill, GARBA DATTI MUHAMMAD; and representatives of relevant committees of the House.
Leading the labour side were WABBA and President of the Trade Union Congress, QUADRI OLALEYE.
Recall that workers, under the aegis of the NLC and the Trade Union Congress, on Wednesday last week, held a nationwide protest against the bill.
At the meeting, WABBA stated and I quote, “We are ready to defend our position. If we are to start restructuring wages, I think it should start from the political class. When salaries were reviewed by 50 per cent in 2011; those of political office holders were reviewed by 800 per cent.
“So, if it is about the ability to pay. It should start from that stage. Our own is only the minimum wage while some are collecting the maximum wage,” end of quote.
