Vice-President Namadi Sambo and state governors will meet on Monday (today) over the impending three-day warning strike by workers.
The strike, which is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, is intended to protest the delay in the implementation of the N18, 000 new minimum wage by the Federal Government.
THE PUNCH learnt from a top union leader on Sunday that labour leaders had been invited to Abuja for the meeting with Sambo and the governors in order to resolve the problem before Wednesday.
The source, who did not want to be named because he was not authorised to speak to journalists on the issue, is one of those invited to the meeting.
He explained that the vice-president had to step in when the meeting between the labour leaders and the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, ended in a deadlock on Friday.
The source said, “Nothing came out of the meeting with the minister. As a matter of fact, the matter has gone beyond the Minister of Labour. There is a meeting with the vice-president on Monday (today).”
When contacted, Wogu could not confirm whether or not the labour leaders would meet with Sambo.
“I am not sure of the meeting you are talking about. I am not in the vice-president’s office. The only meeting that might be holding on Monday is that of the technical committee.”
The technical committee chaired by Sambo was constituted during the National Council of State meeting in Abuja on Thursday.
The council, which comprises the President, the vice-president, past Nigerian leaders and governors, had deferred a decision on the implementation of the minimum wage, citing ‘technical and practical issues’ as reasons.
Although the NCS said it was “sympathetic to the idea (payment of the N18,000 minimum wage),” it mandated the Sambo-led committee to study the ‘technical and practical issues’ and submit its report in two weeks.
Wogu, however, refuted the claim that the meeting he had with the labour leaders on Friday was unproductive.
According to him, the meeting was convened to acquaint the labour leaders with the outcome of the NCS meeting.
He said, “The purpose of the meeting was to relay the outcome of the meeting of the National Council of State. So no one can say that the meeting ended in futility.
“Right now, the council has constituted a technical committee to address the issue and that is the highest council in the country. Why will they not be satisfied with that?”
According to him, the only immediate solution to the ‘problem’ is for the labour leaders to show some understanding.
He added, “There is a solution but the labour leaders have to show some understanding. If they are fighting for the people, they should at least do it genuinely.
Read More:http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20101108261596
No comments:
Post a Comment