The Ekiti State Rotten Wage Deal: A Wrong Precedence
The Ekiti State Rotten Wage Deal: A Wrong Precedence When the news of the strike action by the workers in Ekiti State was reeled by the media few weeks ago, it created hope that the labour movement leadership at the state levels are beginning to make sense of labour unionism. However, the aftermath has created a sour in the mouth more than expected, with the rotten agreement between the labour leaders and the ACN/Kayode Fayemi-led government in the state. According to the agreement, the state government is to pay a paltry N13, 000 ($86) as minimum wage starting from May 1, 2011. This is contrary to the N18, 000 ($120) minimum wage signed into law few days ago by the country’s president, which is to be the minimum wage for any organized employer. The N18, 000 minimum wage falls short of the N52, 200 ($348) minimum wage clamoured for by the central labour union, NLC. Therefore, the N13, 000 agreed to by the labour movement in the state is a step backward by all standards. When...