Labour will ground states that refuse to pay N70,000 minimum wage – Osun NLC chair

Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Osun State, Christopher Arapasopo, speaks to ISMAEEL UTHMAN about the resolution of the NLC to enforce the payment of the N70,000 minimum wage across the country, and the reported plan to deregulate the wage, among other issues

How do you feel about the approved N70,000 minimum wage, and how did workers in Osun State receive the news?

The new minimum wage is a development, but in fairness, we expected more than that. As far as Nigerian workers are concerned, we expected more than N70,000. But we needed to start somewhere. The current minimum wage is N30,000. The difference between the current and the new minimum wage is a 134 per cent increase.

The organised labour had pushed for N250,000; Mr President asked that we allow him to increase the fuel pump price if he must pay the N250,000 demanded at a meeting we held with him two weeks ago.

We told him to drop the idea because fuel price was not part of the negotiation on the national minimum wage. We went on a break after that and when Mr President returned, the organised labour also asked for a week’s break, which made the meeting inconclusive.

We went back to discuss with Mr President again last week. With the facts and figures tabled before us, we resolved that the years of reviewing a minimum should be reduced to two years. But Mr President pushed for three years. Negotiation is collective bargaining, not winner-takes-all all. Both parties resolved on a three-year review of the minimum wage.

The implication is that we will have another negation for a new minimum wage before the end of Mr President’s first tenure in office. That is one of our agreements and achievements. That was how far labour could go. Even if the minimum wage is N10,000, most or some governors are not ready to pay. So, we needed to consider everybody, not workers alone. We are all Nigerians.

If N250,000 is given to us and there is an increment in fuel price, the amount will be meaningless at the end of the day. So, why not accept the amount you know will be meaningful for the entire populace, not workers alone? It is when workers are well paid that you will see a boom in the economy. We put many things into consideration before accepting the N70,000.

The minimum wage was good news for the workers generally, not those in Osun State alone. Once there is an agreement on any issue, the workers will take it. But what everyone is talking about is the salary scale table. Even if N1m is given, it is the table that will determine if the amount approved or agreed upon is okay.

You have different kinds of payment like utility, transportation, housing, and others put in place on the table. All these things will be put together to determine if the amount approved is worth it or not. All states need to negotiate their table, not the N70,000 minimum wage.

They negotiate their table because you can’t compare the cost of living in Abuja to some states like Lagos, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, and others. But the least paid officer, step one, level one, must not go home with less than N70,000.

Considering the lingering economic hardship, do you think the N70,000 is sufficient for a significant change in workers’ welfare?

If we can negotiate on time, if workers can receive this new minimum wage on time, it will positively affect their lives. We have an additional N40,000 to the current N30,000 minimum wage; there will be a positive change in workers’ welfare. Historically, we have moved from N12,000 to 18,000, to N30,000, and now N70,000. The minimum wage is increasing.

From analysis, the minimum wages are not increasing but decreasing in terms of value and exchange rate. Do you consider this?

That is correct, but the good news is that we will start negotiating another minimum wage in another three years. We are almost getting to where we are going. The most important thing is the ability to pay whatever amount we agree on.

However, the value of the money is very important. Even if N1m is approved today, how do you think inflation will not affect it? That is what we are working on; we are working to ensure that the N70,000 is not messed up by inflation. We want the government to address the inflation rate so that our workers will have value for their money.

Taking into consideration the economic disparities of all the states, do you think all the governors will be able to pay the minimum wage?

The organised labour had a meeting last week, and we resolved that this N70,000 must be paid by all state governments. In case we have states that are not willing to pay, those states should be expecting labour leaders; we are going to ground the states, and it’s going to be a total showdown.

No government will tell you their revenue has improved. No government will dare tell you that the revenue they had last month is different from what they have this month; they have forgotten that it is we, the workers, who are managing whatever they are talking about as a government. We know what goes in and what goes out. We know the states can pay this N70,000; I don’t know any governor in Nigeria who will say he cannot pay it.

Has Osun State Government initiated any discussion or meeting with the joint labour unions on the new minimum wage?

We don’t have that yet because the agreement of the N70,000 came last week. For us as organised labour in our state, we’ll be making a move to engage the government so that we’ll have a committee that will comprise the labour and the government officials to look into having a perfect wage for the workers, something reasonable, doable, and workable.

I must appreciate Governor Ademola Adeleke, who has agreed that the N70,000 will be paid in the state. I knew the governor would pay because as far as workers’ welfare, well-being and packages are concerned, Adeleke is doing excellently well. So, I don’t see any problem in paying the N70,000. Governor Adeleke has not disappointed us with the payment of salary and he has been paying the backlog of modulated salary he inherited in the state.

It took some states more than four years to start paying the former N30,000 minimum wage; do you envisage that on the new wage now?

Some governors are not serious; they don’t have human feelings. They don’t understand what it takes to govern. They don’t understand what human beings need. As I said earlier, even if this minimum wage is N10,000, some governors are not ready to pay.

But organised labour has resolved in our last NEC meeting that should we have any states or any governor who fails to pay on time, we will bombard the states with protests, and we are going to shut that state down. This is not a threat; we mean it.

Do we have any governor in this country who will say he’s not aware of the hardship facing the entire populace? I challenge that governor, who is not aware of the hardship in the country, to come out. People are suffering; people are hungry, and a hungry person is an angry person.

We are saying that this N70,000 minimum wage is a no-go area for the governors to say they will not pay. It is a must for every government to pay. That is our stand.

Will the labour give the governors little time before the commencement of the minimum wage implementation?

We are going to give them a short period to make sure that all governors in Nigeria comply with the minimum wage law. There is no specific time now, that is to be decided at the congress.

How do you intend to address the informal sector in Osun State on the minimum wage implementation?

Ninety per cent of the private sector is under the NLC, and they are one of our affiliates. An injury to one is an injury to all; whatever affects A affects B. So, the private sector workers will benefit from this N70,000. I see no reason why a company or organisation will not be willing to pay. The informal sector will benefit as well. We will map out strategies to ensure that they are not left out.

There is a perception that the labour unions in each of the states are paper tigers and that they are puppets to the governors. Is that perception, correct?

That has been there for years; whenever there are agitations or issues on the ground that need some intervention of labour, people will start saying a lot of unfounded things. People will see the outcome of the struggle on a particular matter from different angles.

So, it is no more news that some will say the labour unions have been compromised by the government or by anything. But the truth is that no labour chairman, or executive member, was compromised by any government, even as far as the President is concerned.

We are not puppets for any governor. We will do our job and make sure that we put smiles on the faces of our members and the general workers.

What are the challenges facing workers in Osun State, and how is the NLC addressing them?

I can’t say there is a particular challenge. The main concerns of the workers are salary payment, promotion, welfare packages, and a good working environment and tools. We currently don’t lack all these in Osun State.

Workers’ welfare has been given priority ever since Governor Adeleke came on board. If there is anything you want, all you need to do is inform Mr Governor, and you will see him doing it. I don’t see us having any issue with him as governor. Since our salary and welfare generally are being attended to at the right time, we don’t have any issue with the government.

What are the peculiarities of Osun workers and the state economy?

Whatever achievement a governor had or is having in Osun State, is a product of the workers. Whatever achievement you are seeing in Osun State today, is a result of the sacrifices and cooperation of the workers. To a large extent, the civil servants control the economy in Osun State.

When the civil servants are not paid, it will reflect on the economy, and you will know when they are also happy in the economy. You will see us going to the market buying things when we are paid. Once we are well paid, you will see a positive effect on the economy in the state.

There is a reported plan by the National Assembly to deregulate the minimum wage by making state governments negotiate what they want to pay. Do you support this idea?

We say no to that; it is wickedness. The minimum wage is not a local or state wage. It is the national minimum wage. We are major stakeholders in this country. Whenever there is an issue like this, there is always a community comprising the government and organised labour to iron things out.

There must be collective bargaining before you can agree on anything. You can’t decide our faith behind us; the fate of Nigerian workers cannot be taken for granted. We say no to the deregulation of the minimum wage, and I believe the National Assembly will not do that.

They (the National Assembly) can’t tell us that. Some of these governors are not ready to pay the minimum wage and deregulating it will empower them to do whatever they like. It will look like an open cheque for them. The leadership we have in organised labour now will not accept that.