The federal Government
and organised labour after three days of negotiations on the consequential
adjustments of the implementation of the new minimum wage of N30,000, both
parties have finally reached an agreement.
The Conciliators to
the agreement are Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige and his
state counterpart, Dr Festus Keyamo.
Witnesses to the
agreement from the Government side are; Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan, Ag. Head of the
Civil Service of the Federation and Mr Olusegun Olufehinti, Director IPPIS,
Office of the Accountant General of the Federation.
On the Labour side are
Simon Anchaver, Ag. Chairman, JNPSNC and Alade Bashir, Secretary-General,
JNPSNC.
Speaking at the
meeting, NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, said that the organised labour would
continue to be open-minded and would keep up with the principles of collective
bargaining.
The agreement which
was contained in a communique signed by both parties, reads,
“Following the threat by Organised Labour not
to guarantee industrial peace after Wednesday, October 16, 2019, as a result of
the deadlock in the ongoing negotiation on the Consequential Adjustment of
emoluments in Federal Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs)
arising from the New National Minimum Wage of Thirty Thousand Naira (N30,
000.00) as imbued in the National Minimum Wage Act, 2019, the Honourable
Minister of Labour and Employment in exercise of his powers under the Trade
Dispute Act, CAP T8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004, apprehended
the trade dispute and called the parties to conciliation meetings.
“He met each of the
Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) on Wednesday, 9th
October and Monday 15th October, 2019. Thereafter, joint meetings were held on
16th, 17th and 18th of October, 2019, after which the following Terms of
Settlement and Agreement pertaining to the Minimum Wage Consequential
Adjustments in the Public Service were reached.
“The consequential
adjustment for Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), called
group one is;
GL 07 -23.2 per cent,
GL 08 -20 per cent, GL 09 – 19 per cent, GL 10 – 14 is 16 per cent, while GL
15-17 is 14 per cent.
“The second Group
consists of Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), Consolidated
Tertiary Educational Institutions Salary Structure (CONTEDISS), Consolidated
University Academic Salary Structure II (CONUASS II).
“Others are;
Consolidated Polytechnics and Colleges of Education Academic Salary Structure
(CONPCASS) and Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure
(CONRAISS).
“For Grade Level seven
and its equivalent, it is 23.2 per cent, GL 8-14 Equivalent at 16 per cent, and
GL 15-17/Equivalent at 10.5 per cent.”