The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, NECA, has called on the organised labour to return to the negotiation table on the planned minimum wage review.
The appeal followed the decision of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, on Wednesday, in Abuja, to pull out of the National Minimum Wage Committee.
The development came after representatives of the government and the organised private sector made an offer of N48,000 and N54,000 wage respectively.
DAILY POST reports that the two labour unions had earlier proposed a sum of N615,000 minimum wage for federal workers, giving evidence and data to substantiate their proposal.
While reacting, the Director-General, NECA, Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, in a statement issued on Wednesday, in Lagos, described labour’s pullout as unfortunate.
Oyerinde urged labour to reconsider its position and return to the negotiation table in the interest of its members and national development.
“As it is seen globally, a major feature of all negotiations is for all parties to present their opening positions, which was done by all social partners.
‘’The expected follow-up action is the actual negotiation with attendant counter-negotiations, alignment and realignment of positions among others.
“The action of labour to walk out, even when negotiation has not started, even when it is within its right to do so, has the potential to delay the assignment of the minimum wage committee,” he said.