The Labour Party (LP) in Nigeria has urged workers’ unions to re-negotiate with the government on a new minimum wage rather than embarking on industrial action.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Mr Obiora Ifoh, made the plea in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos.
He was reacting to the strike declared nationwide by the organised labour over its demand for a new minimum wage .
Ifoh said that a strike was not an option because it would cause more hardship and suffering.
“Our immediate reaction is that the organised labour should not throw Nigerians into more hardship.
“Nigerians are already grappling with a lot of challenges and we do not need to exacerbate the situation.
“I think the demand for N494,000 minimum wage is unrealistic. It is really unrealistic.
“It is a figure that cannot be sustained because it will imply that Nigeria will take all that money it has to pay the civil servants,” Ifoh said.
Ifoh said that the labour union should continue to engage the federal government on a figure that would be acceptable to both parties.
“Negotiation should continue until they get something better.
“Asking Nigerian workers to stay at home will affect everything, including the cost of living and Nigerians cannot afford that now.
“Negotiation is not a one-off thing.
“If the federal government is not willing to go above N60,000 minimum wage, I think that the organised Labour should work with what is available while it continues to negotiate.
“We know this government has not gotten it right. It is still trying to test the waters,” the LP spokesman said.
He said that the party would not want any action that could further cause hardship.
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