Key points
- AUPCTRE says the Federal Government still owes workers two months’ wage award.
- The union says it has written several letters seeking payment of the outstanding balance.
- It argues that inflation has eroded the value of the N70,000 minimum wage.
- The union also called for periodic salary reviews to reflect current economic realities.
Main story
The Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service, Technical and Professional Services Employees (AUPCTRE) has urged the Federal Government to pay the outstanding two-month wage award owed to public sector workers.
The National President of AUPCTRE, Benjamin Anthony, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.
Anthony, who also serves as the National Chairman of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (JPSNC), said the union had repeatedly written to the Federal Government over the unpaid wage award.
He recalled that the government initially owed workers four months’ wage award but paid one month following the union’s intervention and later settled another month, leaving two months outstanding.
“We have written several letters to the government. After paying one month, they promised to pay the remaining months, but nothing happened.
“We wrote again, and another month was paid.
“Today, workers are still being owed two months’ wage award, and we do not understand why the government is treating workers this way.
“The union recently wrote to the Minister of Finance, requesting the release of the outstanding wage award,” he said.
Anthony also described workers’ welfare as poor, saying rising inflation and the high cost of living had eroded the value of the N70,000 national minimum wage.
According to him, the current minimum wage is no longer sufficient to meet the basic needs of an average family because of rising costs of food, housing, healthcare, transportation and education.
He commended states that had fully implemented the new minimum wage and urged those yet to do so to comply.
Anthony also argued that salary reviews should be treated separately from minimum wage implementation, saying regular salary adjustments were necessary to reflect prevailing economic conditions.
The issues
Although the national minimum wage was increased to N70,000, labour unions say persistent inflation has weakened workers’ purchasing power, fuelling calls for the payment of outstanding wage awards and periodic salary reviews.
What’s being said
“Today, workers are still being owed two months’ wage award, and we do not understand why the government is treating workers this way.” — Benjamin Anthony, National President, AUPCTRE
What’s next
The union is awaiting the Federal Government’s response to its latest request to the Minister of Finance for the release of the outstanding wage award while continuing to advocate salary reviews in line with inflation.
Bottom line
AUPCTRE says settling the outstanding wage award and reviewing public sector salaries are necessary to cushion the impact of rising living costs on Nigerian workers.
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