The technical committee set up to harmonise the N30, 000 minimum wage has again failed to reach an agreement percentage increases for all levels.
The Thursday meeting hit a roadblock when government representatives told the committee that whatever adjustment arrived at must be in line with the N168bn provided for the adjustment in the 2019 budget.
However, while the labour proposed 30 per cent salary increase for officers on levels seven to 14, the Federal Government wanted nine and a half per cent salary increase for them.
The government also wanted five per cent for officers on grade levels 15 to 17, while the labour wants 25%.
A source within the committee confided in ThePunch that, “What we are pushing for is that government should adjust the minimum wage of those who are already on level one to level six to reflect the new minimum wage. Then officers on level seven to 14 should be given an additional 30 per cent of their salaries. We are also pushing that those on level 15 to level 17 should be given 25 per cent of their salaries. That will be fair enough to all and that is what we are proposing.
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“But the government does not want to do that, technically, and that is what they are standing on.
“Government is saying that from level seven to level 14, only nine and a half per cent of their salaries will be added while only five per cent increase in salary will be offered officers on levels 15 to 17.”
He added, “What really happened after that was that the meeting ended in a deadlock. The term of reference even to the technical committee was to go and work the consequential adjustment based on the economic reality of today. But when the meeting got to a stage, the government said the adjustment would be based on the provision for the adjustment made in the 2019 budget.
“The scenario is that the government is working towards a certain fixed amount and we are expected to be bound by it. What is in the budget for the minimum wage adjustment is N168bn. If we accept to work along with that line, it means that whatever calculation we are working on must arrive at that amount.
“That was not our initial agreement. We were even asking the representatives of the government that they should let us know how much government is working towards so that the committee would be guided.
“What government is coming up with now is not what we agreed in the terms of reference. With that, we cannot continue with the discussion. If the government wants to issue circular based on that, it is free but we are not going to be a party to that.”