Organised labour in Osun State have urged the state government to implement the N35,000 minimum wage recently announced by the Federal Government.
The Bola Tinubu-led administration, in a bid to avert an impending strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, announced several palliative packages for workers.
Among these is the payment of N25,000 to all levels of low paid workers for the next six months.
However, under intense pressure the President increased it to N35,000 for all civil servants for the next six months.
Making their demand in a letter addressed to the state governor, Ademola Adeleke on Friday, and jointly signed by the acting state NLC Chairman, Modupe Oyedele, the Chairman Osun TUC, Bimbo Fasasi and Joint Negotiating Council chairman, Lasun Akindele, the labour leaders recalled that letters had been previously written to the governor on the demands for higher wage in June, 2023.
They also revealed that a reminder was also sent in July, 2023.
“The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress has directed that all State Councils to immediately engage their respective state governments in effecting the agreed sum of Thirty Five Thousand Naira (N35,000) only wage rewards to all categories of workers across board in the state service.
“Your Excellency will recall that the state Labour Movement had already written to you on the subject matter earlier sometime in the month of June and a follow up reminder was also sent in July to that effect.
“The Labour Movement in the state is not in any way in doubt of Your Excellency’s kind disposition towards the workers in the state. We are confident that worker’s welfare is important and very dear to your heart.
“It is therefore in this spirit that we urge Your Excellency to graciously approve the agreed sum of Thirty-Five Thousand Naira (N35,000) only wage rewards to all categories of workers across board in the state service commencing from the
month of September, 2023 as contained in the signed memorandum of understanding that averted the proposed strike.”
The leadership of the union expressed confidence that the Governor would speedily expedite action on the matter.
Payment of these new wages, the labour leaders insisted, would go a long way in ameliorating and cushioning the hardship workers were going through due to the subsidy removal on petrol with its attendant biting economic effects.
The state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, however, noted that it may be too early to comment on the issue.
“The government will definitely invite the labour leaders for negotiation on the issue,” he revealed.