The provisional wage increase President Bola Tinubu announced for all low-grade workers for six months will cut across all workers, the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, revealed to State House Correspondents Sunday evening.
This followed a four-hour meeting between leaders of the Organised Labour and representatives of the Federal Government held at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa.
“There was a lot of chatter on Twitter about the issue of low-income workers only falling into the category of the provisional wage increase. And we did communicate with the President and he quickly did say and agreed that all categories of workers will be given the wage bill. There is nothing like low income, median income or high income,” Gbajabiamila said.
He expressed optimism that the labour unions would backtrack on the nationwide strike planned for Tuesday.
The Chief of Staff explained, “Hopefully, we expect that Labour will call a meeting of their various branches and executive tomorrow to do present the agreements that have been reached, and we pray and we believe and we hope that the strike will be called off on Tuesday.”
The PUNCH gathered that Labour rejected President Bola Tinubu’s N25,000 provisional wage increment for low-grade workers.
Labour also rejected the government’s proposed six-month period for the provisional increase covers. Rather, it should run until a new minimum wage is approved.
The unions also insisted that the wage increase be reviewed upwards to N35,000.
Details later…
PUNCH
