Joe Ajaero, president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on Friday, bemoaned the effect of inflation on the minimum wage in the country.

Mr Ajaero, speaking at the first quadrennial delegates conference of the Trade Union Congress (TUC)  in Abuja, said it was time the organised labour stood united and collectively fought the numerous issues affecting workers.

He lamented that presently, Nigerians were paying electricity tariffs and taxes above the new minimum wage of N70,000 approved by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

According to him, we have fought battles on minimum wage and we have not relented. We have fought battles on fuel subsidies and are still fighting battles on tax regimes.

“It is a period where the tax on your salaries is almost higher than the minimum wage increase on the salaries. It is a period we need to sit and reflect on our survival. What are those things that affect us most? The social safety nets that are obtainable in some developed economies of the world and we need to fight for them.

“Very important, the cost of living index. We need to look at it. How does it affect an average worker? How was the minimum wage The NLC, TUC, and others fought for implementation?

“Was it implemented in the local government for teachers, workers and those in the formal and informal sectors of the economy alike?” he said.

The labour leader noted that what was got as a minimum wage had been eroded by inflation.

“The landlords and transporters have taken it all. Electricity tariffs are more than our minimum wage; the tariff on telecom is going high by the day.

“There is therefore the need for the organised labour unions to stand united and review their relationships with Nigerians and players in the civil society space to collectively fight the numerous issues affecting workers. It is a period we need to reenact our relationship with not just the trade union movement but our civil society allies and the Nigerian masses.

“The NLC is extending its hand of fellowship to the TUC for us to work together hand in hand for the interest of the Nigerian people and workers. History beckons that if we fail to work together, we will all perish. At this point in time, we have to work on those things that affect us most,” he said.

The NLC president added that the challenges that the workers face are not drills but real, adding that they require a robust, strong trade union to surmount them.  

(NAN)