Home GLOBAL NEWS Ngige warns governors against cutting salaries, work hours

Ngige warns governors against cutting salaries, work hours

249
0

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, In a statement issued by Mr Samuel Olowokere, Deputy Director Press in the ministry, warned state governors against reducing workers’ salaries and hours of work.chris ngigeNgige said the warning has become necessary to restore industrial harmony and forestall breakdown of law and order, as there have been protracted industrial crisis involving the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Nasarawa State Government.

The minister said the step was pursuant to the powers vested on him by section 5(1) and (2) of the Trade Dispute Act, Laws of Nigeria, 2004.

He said this was also predicated on a letter to the him by Gov. Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State for labour conciliation by the ministry.

READ ALSO  Trailer crushes 9-year-old, injures 24 others in Onitsha

The minister said all parties had been invited for a crucial meeting on Wednesday by 2 p.m. at the Ministry of labour.

He said “sequel to this, I hereby direct the unions to suspend the proposed picketing of government offices and demonstrations.

“I enjoin all parties to maintain the status quo ante pending the outcome of the meeting intended to resolve the issues in dispute.

`Similarly, to avoid further escalation of disputes of this type all over the states of the federation, state governments are hereby advised to always negotiate any issue that touches on the salaries and wages of workers.

READ ALSO  Saraki wades into JOHESU strike, meets with Ngige and Adewole

“This is in order to ensure that they obtain a Collective Bargaining Agreement (BCA) before these remunerations are tampered with.

“I wish to add for the avoidance of doubt that the issue of minimum wage flows out from the Minimum Wage Act, 2011, ” he said. Ngige said the law of the land must be respected by all in both public and private institutions.

He, however, said the issue of arbitrary reduction in the hours of work was against the International Labour Organisation (ILO) regulation; Convention 1, which had been adopted and domesticated by Nigeria.

READ ALSO  Should Jose Mourinho be sacked?

He said the law prescribes eight hours of work in a day and not more than 40 hours in a week.

Ngige added that the caution had become necessary to draw the attention of all concerned to these issues in order to avoid unnecessary industrial relations disputes that could be averted through proactive dialogue.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.