No state should call workers for negotiation on minimum wage, says Oyo TUC chairman

Following the truce reached between the Federal Government and the labour movement on the minimum wage consequential adjustment, the Oyo State Chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Emmanuel Ogundiran, said no state government should invite any worker for negotiation again.

Ogundiran, who spoke with The Guardian at the weekend, said workers in the state were not expecting anything different from what was approved at the national level.

The labour leader urged the state governments to block leakages to meet up with the new financial obligations, as the consequential adjustment would come with an increased allocation to states.

He said: “We are not expecting any state to invite its workers to come and negotiate on a national minimum wage. It will be unheard of if you now call upon to come and negotiate the national minimum wage. On a courtesy visit to Governor Seyi Makinde on Tuesday, the Trade Union Congress had made it clear that the workers of Oyo State would be very happy if there is no fight, if there is no dialogue on the issue of minimum wage. That whatever is set as the new minimum wage will be strictly adhered to and to the letters by Oyo State.

“On the consequential adjustment look, my certificate is not different from the certificate of any other person in this country wherever you come from and it is the same market that we operate (patronise).”

It is the same forces of demand and supply that operate in all these markets. So, why should there be a difference? By the time you look at why labour leaders persevered for so long, it is because of the disparity that has for a long time existed within the wage structure in the public service most especially. In the public service, we have some officers who earn more than permanent secretaries. It should not be.”

Also, the Oyo State Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Adebayo Titilola-Sodo, said: “Once the real table is out, the next thing is implementation at the state level.”

Meanwhile, an officer of the state government said: “The government is working on it. Let’s wait for the government position”.