Labour Fixes Deadline For Governors To Implement New Minimum Wage

Organized Labour has told State Governors to implement the N30,000 new minimum wage by December 31, 2019 or risk industrial action.

Naija News reports that only Kaduna, Kebbi, Lagos, Adamawa and Jigawa have commenced implementation and payment of the new wage since President Muhammadu Buhari signed the New Minimum Wage Act into law.

Speaking to newsmen, the scribe of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Musa-Lawal Ozigi, said failure to meet the deadline would mean a declaration of war against Labour.

He said: “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.”