In a bold move, Bamgbose Betty, a former Treasurer of the National Labour Congress and current chairman of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, has called on Senate members to adjust their salaries to the minimum wage level.
Addressing the economic challenges faced by workers, Betty emphasized the importance of Senate representatives understanding the hardships encountered by labor unions. Expressing discontent with the government’s approach to minimum wage negotiations, she criticized the prolonged discussions and incremental raises proposed by the authorities.
Delivering her remarks at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital laboratory, Betty urged high-ranking officials, including the Senate, to align their incomes with the proposed minimum wage. This, she believes, would give them a deeper understanding of the workers’ struggles.
Betty’s call for action comes amidst a nationwide strike declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC). The strike, which commenced on June 2, 2024, follows the government’s reluctance to raise the proposed minimum wage above N60,000.
NLC President Joe Ajaero and TUC representative Festus Osifo expressed disappointment over the government’s failure to pass the new National Minimum Wage Act into law. They also demanded a revision of the electricity tariff increase to N65/kWh.
The negotiations between organized labor and the Federal Government have hit an impasse, with both parties presenting their offers and resulting in a breakdown of talks.
Despite the strike’s impact on various sectors, essential medical and health services continued to operate, according to Betty. However, she acknowledged the broader implications of the industrial action on the economy.