Abbas Yushau Yusuf
The Nigeria Labour Congress has frowned at an effort allegedly being hatched to remove the national minimum wage from the exclusive legislative list to concurrent.
This was contained in a statement signed at the end of an emergency NEC meeting convened by the NLC in Abuja which was signed by its President Comrade AYuba Waba.
“The NLC NEC called on President Muhammadu Buhari not to allow fifth columnists masquerading as politicians to derail his government by railroading the legislature into removing the national minimum wage from the exclusive to the concurrent list – a move that the global workers’ solidarity regards as anathema,” said the statement
The NLC said if it is allowed to happen the following results will emerge
It could lead to the exclusion of the private sector (both organised and unorganised) from the concept, rationale and logic of a national minimum wage, yet, it is in this informal sector, as we pointed out earlier, that horrendously unfair labour practices take place;
- b) Introduction of politics into wage determination, with dire consequences as was the case during the First Republic;
- c) Negation of the principle of collective bargaining with an inevitable destination, a hostile industrial space with diminished productivity and national security implications; and
- d) It will create over time an undesirable situation whereby state minimum variations across states become a “beggar-thy-neighbour” instrument in seeking to attract economic establishments to locate in states. It is in order to avoid this type of injurious competition that income tax, personal or company, is legislated on exclusively by the Centre. Moreover, the NEC buttressed that a multiplicity of minimum wages will serve to create a segmentation of the Labour market, which could weaken national economic growth and cohesion.
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According to the Communiqué, The NEC also considered the submission of a bill with the number HB. 1062 sponsored by Honourable Abbas Tajudeen representing Zaria Federal Constituency of Kaduna State and seeking a constitutional amendment to allow for establishment of State Judicial Councils.
The NEC submitted that the passage of the bill would occasion a further exacerbation of the institutional crisis in our country, constitute an existential threat to our democratic experience and greatly imperil the corporate existence of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The NEC also reasoned that given the heterogeneous nature of Nigeria in terms of culture, religion, and ethnicity, it would be difficult if not impossible to manage the fallout from the decentralization of our judiciary.
It also harped on hoarding of premium motor spirit and further opposes moves to establish state judicial councils
The NEC decided that there will be a national protest action commencing from the 10th of March 2021 in the Federal Capital Territory and especially to the National Assembly. The protest is to make a strong statement that Nigerian workers would not lie low and watch hard-fought rights which are of global standards bastardized by opportunistic and narrow thinking politicians.
