Minimum wage ‘ll give workers sense of belonging, says TUC

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has said the new N30,000 minimum wage will give workers a sense of belonging.

In a statement TUC commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the Minimum Wage Bill into law.

Its President, Bobboi Kaigama and Secretary-General, Musa-Lawal Ozigi, said the new wage will in no small measure give workers a sense of belonging, saying the organised labour appreciated its approval, but that its gains have been eroded by inflation as prices of commodities have gone up when employees were yet to receive the new wage.

“The N30,000 monthly National Minimum Wage that we are asking for a family of six, amounts to less than N50 per meal per person. It is exclusive of utility bills, school fees and many others.

“Given our extended family system as Africans, we are also expected to assist parents, in-laws, relations and friends, who have lost their jobs,” the TUC said.

The union called on the 9th Assembly to prevail on governors to pay workers their salaries and pension to retirees as and when due to avoid crisis in the industrial sector, adding that it appreciated the government, the lawmakers and Nigerian Employers Consultative Association (NECA) for seeing reason with workers.