During a meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, the FG and labour again failed to reach an agreement over payment of the new minimum wage, cancelling the meeting that was scheduled for today.

However, both parties will resume negotiations in Abuja next week.

According to a source, who spoke with the newsmen, he noted that labour was insistent on its demand while government negotiators refused to improve on their proposals.

While the FG is offering a 10 per cent salary increase for workers on grade level 07 to 14 and 5.5 per cent for those on grade level 15 to 17, labour is insistent on 29 per cent for workers on grade level 07 to 14 and 24 per cent for those on grade level 15 to 17.

The source said, “We maintained our earlier position and demand at the meeting. Government negotiators were not ready to move from their position also. We have told to package our position and their own proposals and send to their principal (President Muhammadu Buhari) to look at the difference.

“We want him to look at it hoping that the FG will come up with better proposals. Whatever they come up with will be the subject of our meeting next week. Tomorrow’s meeting has been called off.”

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, Richard Egbule, said labour’s demands would significantly increase the total wage bill, hence the government would not accept labour’s proposed salary adjustments.

Secretary of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, Alade Lawal, during an interview with newsmen, responded to the claim stating that the government was trying to force labour to accept its proposal, adding that such would only make workers poorer.

The Chairman, National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, Chief Richard Egbule made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Monday.

Egbule explained that the current demand of the labour unions would raise the total wage bill too high and that was why government could not accept their proposed salary adjustments.

“Labour is asking for consequential adjustment and government in its wisdom had made budgetary provision for an adjustment of N10, 000 across the board for those already earning above N30, 000 per month.

“However, the Unions have refused this offer, saying that because the increase in minimum wage from 18,000 to N30, 000 was 66 per cent, therefore they want 66 per cent increment across the board.

“We told them that the minimum wage was not raised from N18, 000 to N30, 000 through percentage increase but as a result of consideration of economic factors including ability to pay.

“However, we said that if they want consequential adjustments in percentage terms, we will use a percentage that when applied will not exceed what has been provided for in the budget.

“The computation based on a percentage which government had given to labour, was 9.5 per cent from level 7 to 14 including level 1-6 of those salary structures that did not benefit from the minimum wage.

“And then five per cent from level 15 to 17. Labour countered the offer and proposed 30 per cent increase for level 7 to 14 and 25 per cent for level 15 to 17.

“One point we keep repeating is, it will be unfair that because you gave the person earning minimum wage N12, 000, you give a level 17 officer almost N100, 000 if you apply 25 per cent,’’ he said.

Egbule said that at the last meeting between the Federal Government and the labour unions, the government proposed a 10 per cent increment for level seven to 14 and a 5.5 per cent increase for level 15 to 17.

He advised labour to come to a compromise because government had so far been magnanimous in agreeing to increase salaries without any threat of downsizing.

“Labour is currently stretching out and eating up the time that people could have used in benefiting from the adjustment because the new minimum wage was implemented since April.

“My advice is for labour to accept the terms for now and prepare to fight for the harmonization of salaries that is coming up. Harmonization of salaries will take care of this issue.

“The committee has already been formed and awaiting inauguration. I want them (labour) to know this and liberate us from this unnecessary log jam,” he said.