Anambra labour leaders, on Friday, appealed to Governor Charles Soludo to use the federal government’s template to compute the workers’ new minimum wage.

The president, Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Anambra chapter, made the appeal in Awka while briefing journalists on the workers’ expectations of the new minimum wage.

Mr Aromeh said the organised labour in the state, comprising the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and NULGE, “are collectively appealing to Soludo, in the interest of workers, to use the chart released by the federal government.

“Yes, there is an issue with the new minimum wage on ground and the labour leaders, including NLC, TUC and NULGE, have been meeting with the governor on the matter.

“In Anambra, unfortunately, the governor is not getting it right because from what we have seen from him and his team, we are not happy, especially in the areas that affect salaries. Grade Levels eight to 17, the government’s proposal is nothing to write home about,” he said.

Mr Aromeh further said that though the government is basing its argument on its internally generated revenue, available reports show that Anambra is far better than several states that have adopted the federal government’s template for the new minimum wage.

“The federal government’s chart must be used and not for the state to adopt a discriminatory package for workers on different grade levels.

“If what the state is bringing to the table is allowed, it means that as you progress, your take home pay will continue to go down,” he said.

The NULGE boss wondered why a worker on Grade Level One, step one, would earn N70,000 plus, while a Grade Level Eight staff member would earn N70,000 plus monthly, stating, “It is wrong. The real thing should be done.”

“Governor Soludo is friendly with Anambra workers and NULGE in particular, but on this new minimum wage, he is not protecting the collective interest of the workers.

“Our collective stand is that the normal chart be used, and everything worked out based on percentage,’’ he said.

Mr Aromeh said all the workers in the country operate in the same market and economy; hence, no state should apply a template different from the one released by the federal government.

“If our governor does not adopt the federal government’s template, we have other options than giving him an ultimatum or going to court because we do not want to bring problems into the state,” he added.

He expressed optimism that the government would reason with the workers to use the federal government’s template due to the current economic hardship in the country.

(NAN)