Organised labour has warned the federal government that it will incur the wrath of workers if it retrenches workers as a result of austerity measures announced last month.

Speaking through the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, in a statement by its President and Secretary-General,  Bobboi Bala Kaigama, and Alade Bashir Lawal, the union said any attempt by government to sack workers or slash salaries in the name of austerity measures would amount to a declaration of war on Nigerian workers and would be resisted by the labour movement.

According to statement, “when the economy boomed, the political office holders were freeloading as if there is no tomorrow while most Nigerian workers live below $2 per day.

During that same period, workers called for better pay package but were rebuffed by the ruling elite. It was enjoyment galore for those in government while helpless workers roasted as if they were not stakeholders in the system.

Indeed, as at today, the meagre N18,000 monthly minimum wage approved in 2011 by the Federal Government has not been fully implemented by some State Governments and as such it will be the height of insensitivity for any Government to contemplate sacking Civil Servants or reducing their pay in the name of austerity measures.

Politicians pay package

ASCSN lamented that many times, the union had advised government to reduce the huge pay packets and allowances of political office holders and check other leakages that encouraged corruption in the system but the counsel fell on deaf ears.

It added that “records will also show that this Union on several occasions cautioned the Federal Government to stop depletion of foreign reserves and the rush to seek foreign loans for white elephant projects because such profligacy can only lead to the collapse of the economy.

ASCSN wondered if plans by government to spend more than N9 billion to purchase stoves for “rural women” was not part of frivolous expenditure that had brought the economy to its knees.