BY Tony Edike
ENUGU—Enugu State Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, yesterday reached a compromise over the modalities for the implementation of the new minimum wage for workers in the state.

The state government had since complied with the payment of minimum wage of N18,000 to junior workers as required by law but the negotiations with labour had centered on how their senior counterparts could also benefit commensurately from the dispensation.

Briefing newsmen at the end of a tripartite meeting with representatives of the National and State Labour Congress and the state government in Enugu, the Head of International Relations of the NLC Headquarters, Abuja, Mr. Uchenna Ekwe, said all the parties rose from the meeting satisfied.

“This is the first meeting we’ve had and both parties were smiling, a lot of advancement has been made and we have a better understanding of where we are heading to  in our negotiations.”

He explained that although they came for the signing of the agreement labour reached with the state government on the issue, they discovered that there were some technical issues that needed to be

clarified by government and labour before the parties could sign it.

He stated that some of the issues include proper negotiation to ensure that nobody was cheated and that what is due to each worker in the civil service or government parastatals, was well spelt out on the

salary chart.

Ekwe assured workers that the agreement reached with government on the issue of the new minimum wage would reflect in their November salaries.

Ekwe, who said labour believed that the principles of collective bargaining and negotiation must be respected, revealed that during the meeting, government showed good faith and understanding.

He explained that contrary to belief in some quarters, there was nothing like federal government salary chart, adding that there was no likelihood of two different states paying, using the same salary chart.

The labour leader then appealed to workers in Enugu State to remain calm, adding that at the end of the negotiation, they will be happy with the outcome.

The meeting, which was held in the office of the Secretary to the State Government, was attended by state NLC Chairman, Comrade Chumaife Nze, Acting Secretary TUC, Mr. Anddy Nzenwanze and Mr. Dan Nwodo of TNC.