Organized labour in the public service sector, under the umbrella of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), has flayed members of the Senate for backing the deregulation of the national minimum wage, stating that it will lead to parliamentary dictatorship once the amendment becomes law.
The union stated that all over the world, National Minimum Wage is legally binding on all employers who were obligated by law to pay the standard amount and nothing below it.
It further urged the House of Representative and the 36 State houses of assembly not to follow in the footsteps of the Senate, if they desire a fair and living wage for all Nigerian workers. It also pointed that serious thoughts are needed before voting in support of the deregulation of wages.
In a statement jointly issued by its President and Secretary-General, Bobboi Kaigama and Alade Lawal, the union pointed out fact the Senate had approved pensions for life for its leadership while rejecting local government autonomy, which would have financially empowered the third tier of government to bring development closer to the people.
“The essence of a National Minimum Wage is to ensure that poor workers are statutorily protected from powerful employers who, left alone, would prefer to pay peanuts to their workers,” It said.
