Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and former Delta State gubernatorial aspirant, Chief Sunny Onuesoke has condemned what he called reckless agitation of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its counterpart Trade Union Congress (TUC) for an increase in the minimum wage of Nigerian workers.
The PDP Chieftain while speaking on the sideline during the Democracy Day celebration at Asaba, Delta State capital described the efforts by the labour unions in forcing the federal government to succumb to their terms in the negotiation process as inhuman and selfish, stressing that their obnoxious demand would have an adverse effect on the common man who doesn’t earn salary or wage.
He argued that it is ridiculous for the labour unions to negotiate for increase in the minimum wage of workers without considering the adverse effect it will have on the ordinary citizens of the country, especially those in private sector, traders, artisans and those living in the rural areas which constitute the largest labour force in the country.
Onuesoke maintained that the labour movement was obviously not putting Nigeria and Nigerians first in this process of the negotiation. He therefore demanded that they review their demand by considering the plight of the larger percentage of Nigerians who are not on the payroll of the government as this percentage of Nigerians constitute the largest population of workforce in Nigeria compared to those working for government who are less than 1% of the entire Nigerian population.
“TUC and NLC are selfish. They are the same thing with the political leadership. They are agitating for the increment of their wage. What happens to the private sector, the traders, artisans and even the unemployed Nigerians roaming our street? Who is going to increase their wages? They forget that once there is wage increase there will be hyper inflation.
“Why are they agitating for themselves salary increment like the way our law makers are agitating for their own salaries and allowance increase? How many salary increase did they agitate for traders, private sector, artisans and unemployed among others,” Onuesoke queried.
The PDP Chieftain who argued that organized labour lack the temerity to negotiate for Nigerians hence their selfish motive has been exposed said, “ I expected them to agitate on how the Federal Government can reduce inflation or how the price of goods and services should be reduced instead of agitating for wage increment for themselves alone at the expense of the larger population of Nigerians which are the artisans and the market people that control 95% of the economy and not civil servants.”
