Deadlocks are awfully quite common any time the labour unions and federal officials meet. This time, what seems to be the cause of a disagreement is the ₦60,000 minimum wage being offered to workers instead of ₦494,000 that the unions are seeking.

When federal government representatives met with the combination of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Abuja on Tuesday, 28 May, only botched negotiations came out of it because the government officials who partook in it failed to impress with their offer which was only ₦3000 higher than the submission of the previous week.

Heading into today’s meeting, the labour unions had also reduced their expectation from ₦497,000 they earlier quoted as a way of showing good faith but the return offer from the government did not move.

Maybe officials feel like a 100 per cent increase of the old ₦30,000 minimum should make an impression, but sadly it didn’t. What it has led to was a walk-out by both the NLC and the NUC as their demands were not being met. They too would feel like they have been reasonable and have made concessions by reducing their hill of a demand earlier stated in interviews and news reports as ₦615,000.

ALSO READ: How high can Nigerian workers’ minimum wage climb? Up to ₦1million according to labour union

According to an earlier Nigeria Labour Congress statement, the figure was the result of a survey and opinion gathering covering the cost of sustaining a household of six members including the father, mother and four children.

Based on the research, the current ₦30,000 minimum wage is not cutting it considering the severe economic downturn and 33.69% inflation.

The economy of the workers is totally destroyed. In fact, the workers don’t have any economy, says Nigeria Labour Congress President, Joe Ajaero in a recent Channels TV discussion.

I think there are two economies in the country; the economy of the bourgeoisie and the economy of the workers. I think we have to harmonise this so that we can have a meeting point.

The drastically rash food prices and many other consumer goods or services indeed call for a sincere meeting point.

NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE NEGOTIATION : GOVERNMENT PRESENTS WAGE REDUCTION – NLC & TUC REJECT IThttps://t.co/SQdfukn2zl

— Nigeria Labour Congress HQ (@NLCHeadquarters) May 16, 2024

Although some praise him for his action, it has been seen that the direct consequence of Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu removing fuel subsidies is the poverty that most people now live in. One time there used to be the middle class but now it seems that they are no more with everybody struggling except the extremely rich in Nigeria.

Many times, both the president and his aides have explained this action of removing subsidy on petrol as a necessity and what would save the country from bleeding dry. Yet, a large share of the population does not feel like they have been saved.

As of now, the labour unions are the shield and the interface that lets the federal government know where and how their economic policies are really pinching the average Nigerian so much.

ALSO READ: What private sector employees may get from the new national minimum wage?

Ayodele Johnson

Ayodelé is a Lagos-based journalist and the Content and Editorial Coordinator at Meiza. All around the megacity, I am steering diverse lifestyle magazine audiences with ingenious hacks and insights that spur fast, informed decisions in their busy lives.