In ongoing discussions concerning the national minimum wage, negotiations between the Federal Government, organized labor, and the Organized Private Sector (OPS) reached another impasse as both governmental and private sector representatives made slight modifications to their previous proposals.
Despite the absence of six governors from the committee, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State briefly participated in the meeting, which has been postponed until Tuesday, May 28, 2024.
Organized labor, after reducing its wage demand from N615,000 to N500,000 and then to N497,000, witnessed a marginal increase from the OPS, raising their offer from N54,000 to N57,000.
The government team, initially resistant, took a short break for consultation and subsequently adjusted its offer to match the OPS offer of N57,000. This adjustment followed a previous offer of N54,000 made on Tuesday.
Despite these adjustments, labor representatives swiftly rejected the revised offers from both government and OPS, indicating their reluctance to engage in further negotiations.
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Expressing frustration, a labor leader criticized the government’s stance, citing discrepancies in spending priorities and the purported lack of funds, while emphasizing the adverse effects of economic policies on workers.
Following the meeting, a source revealed labor’s refusal to accept the N57,000 offer, signaling a looming deadlock. Despite pleas from the government, labor remained steadfast in their stance, advocating for a detailed breakdown of the proposed wage to ensure transparency.
Government representatives, including Ministers of Finance and Labor, were present, while the absence of the six governors from the tripartite committee was notable, with only Governor Hope Uzodimma briefly attending the meeting without providing an explanation for his presence.
The negotiation process remains at a standstill, highlighting the challenges in reaching a consensus on a crucial national issue.
