By Bimbola Oyesola
The Nigerian workers have gone through many challenges in recent past, with the past one year been the worst ever.
In his submission, President of the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government Owned Companies (SSACGOC), Kayode Alakija expressed that the last one year has not been easy for any Nigerian, especially the workers.
According to Alakija, Nigerian workers were better off last year, than they are today, emphasizing the need for the government to rise up to the challenges of bringing succour to the masses.
In this interview, he speaks on how the present economy situation has crippled workers’ capacity as the present minimum wage cannot even buy a worker a bag of rice, stressing the need for living wage instead of minimum wage.
He speaks on what the union is doing differently for its members at this trying period and efforts by the present leadership at repositioning the union.
Alakija also gives his verdict on the present administration and other issues of national interest.
Excerpts:
Union in the past one year
The economic situation in the country has affected everybody and our union is not excluded.
If you look at what is happening now, I could say that the unions are the ones at the receiving end. This is because in the last few years there hasn’t been any recruitment. People are leaving service and check-ups keep shrinking. Staff salary has always remained the same, while prices of goods keep skyrocketing.
Yes, the government tried to give palliatives, but it’s still not working. This is because after the removal of subsidy, the prices of goods jumped by almost 300 to 400 percent and this has really affected everybody.
Our take-home has shrink, our disposable income has also been on the decline. It has not really been easy for anybody but we thank God that we’re trying to manage.
Closure
Our union does not fall under privatised institutions. We unionize government agencies that are creation of law.
Government owned companies are not for profit, those are the places that we unionize.
Let me also say that despite all the odds, we have not really had the challenge of any agency being shut down; except recently where the government decided to implement the Oronsaye Report where some of our organizations will be merged. For example, FRCN will be merged with Voice of Nigeria, and a few others like that. And in doing that, no job has been declared lost. We are monitoring the developments, but for now no one has been declared redundant. Government is still mapping out the modalities of the measures of these agencies.
Safeguarding members in redundancy
If government is going to declare redundancy, then we must sit down to negotiate what the exit package would be. To be honest, redundancy is not what we are looking forward to. And as a union, we want our members to retain their jobs. But where we have no choice, then we would have to negotiate in a robust manner an exit plan for those that may be affected.
However, we do not foresee any of such now because even when the Oronsaye Report was being packaged, it was one of our fears and the government tried to allay those fears. But we are also preparing, in case it comes to that.
Impacts of economy on union
The economy is not favourable not just to the union, but even to all Nigerians. If you look at it today, The value of N1000 six months ago is like N400 today. As I said earlier, it is not as if there has been an increase in salaries, the prices of goods, especially food items, have continued to increase unabated.
So it is not easy for any Nigerian, especially the workers. We are the ones suffering. You will discover that what you have as salary, over 70%, will be used for transportation to work in a month. How much is a bag of rice today? The minimum wage cannot even afford a bag of rice today. Even if you decide to save your minimum wage for two months, you would still not be able to buy a bag of rice. And you have other responsibilities to take care of.
It has not really been easy. If I say that Nigerian workers are living from hand to mouth, it would be an understatement. The situation is even worse.
Unionisation and casualisation
We do not really have the issue of casualization in our sector. And for unionisation, all the agencies that we have jurisdiction over, we have approached them and there hasn’t been any resistance to make sure that we do not operate there. So we have always been able to mobilise our members and operate in a fairly environment. Don’t forget that ours is a union of senior staffs and we believe that any organisation that would be coming into the sector, we must be able to partner with the management to proffer solution to the challenges of that organization. Such that our members would be the beneficiaries of whatever gains the organization is making.
New Minimum Wage
Whatever I’m saying now is my personal opinion. And it is my personal opinion, because I am a member of the minimum wage committee and I know that no decision has been taken.
However, looking at the situation of the country today, the two Labour centres today have come together to make a demand of about N650,000. Well, it is negotiable, don’t forget it is a tripartite committee where you have the government, the employers of labour and the unions.
So the three of us are still meeting and would come to a conclusion soon.
However, in terms of inflation, we cannot keep saying that a new minimum wage would drive inflation. This is because even as we are still using this current minimum wage, the inflationary rate in the country today is at an alarming rate.
What is important now is that the government should also work on the economy, which I believe they are doing. That can be seen in the recent gain of the Naira against the dollars. It means that some of the policies that are putting in place are beginning to work and if it is working within a short time and when we can reduce our import dependent economy to ensure that we increase production, things will begin to improve.
In essence, we cannot say because of inflation, we would not earn what we’re supposed to earn. Right now, the inflation is there and the salary is still nothing to write home about. For me, what needs to be done has to be done. It is due for review.
When the minimum wage was last reviewed. It was close to $300, but as at today, that value is less than $40. So I do not think the issue of inflation should be a consideration now. What is important is that Nigerian workers need a living wage and we must be given that.
Implementing new Minimum Wage
The minimum wage committee is made-up of 6 governors representing the six geopolitical zones. The fact that Labour has made some proposal does not mean that will be the final amount to be agreed upon. At the end of the day, those states governors who are also representatives of the Governors Forum would then see it, and say, this is what we’re able to afford, then we will all look at it statistically based on available data and agree on what is doable.
One of the shortfall of the last minimum wage is the fact that the sanctions in that act were just too porous, and it gives the governors, the levity to be able to do whatever they want to do. However, what Labour is fighting for right now is that there should be stiffer and more serious sanctions for any state government that is not paying. Maybe when that is the case and it is enforced, then states would pay.
Also do not forget that recently, the allocation to state governors have also increased. After the removal of fuel subsidy, what goes to the states in terms of allocation has increased tremendously, so I see no reason why any state governor would say he will not be able to pay.
Challenges
We have negotiated the condition of service for three of our branches which is currently in operation. Some other have reached an advanced stage, submissions have been made to the National Income Salaries and Wages Commission which we are still pursuing.
Also, of recent, some of our organizations where a memo issued by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Minister of Finance saying some percentage should go to Federation account and all that, we have also pursued that and they have listened to us.
These are some of the challenges that we’re facing. It boils down on the fact that some of these agencies can no longer meet their statutory obligation by the demand placed on them by governments. But I believe that the government is also doing something about that. They have been able to cut down on some by reducing the percentages, but they’re still working on the others.
Most importantly, in terms of infrastructure, we are also working very seriously towards moving our national secretariat from Lagos to Abuja. Very soon would acquire a property in Abuja that will house our national secretariat.
Workers condition
As I said earlier, we have not fared too well because the economy is not friendly to the Nigerian workers and to Nigerians as a whole. We were better last year than we are today. This will also be reflected in the speeches that will be made during the May Day. We expect a better future for Nigerian workers and we’re really hopeful that we’ll be able to get a living wage, not just minimum wage. That is what we are working towards.
Government scorecard
Honesty, I can tell you that President Bola Tinubu is a very bold person. He has taken some bold steps, he has taken some firm decisions which actually has added a lot of hardships to Nigerians. However, I see a lot of this in the nearest future becoming an advantage for Nigerians.
For example, with the production of diesel in Dangote refinery, the price of diesel have started coming down. I was also privileged to visit the Port-harcourt refinery which I believe very soon would start producing PMS and diesel. By the time we ramp up production in all these areas and when the supply is very high, of course the prices will crash.
Nigerians are feeling the pinch right now, but I foresee a better future if all the measures that are being put in place today will work.
We have to start somewhere and thank God we have someone who is taking the bold step.