The General Secretary, Textile and Garment Workers Union, Issa Aremu, on Tuesday backed the decision of the Organised Labour to proceed on a nationwide strike over new national minimum wage.
Aremu in a statement issued in Kaduna, said that his union fully supports the agitation to secure decent living wage for workers in the country.
He, however, said it was not too late for the government to avert the strike, if it would conclude the year-long negotiation before the expiration of the deadline.
Aremu also said the Labour Party (LP), where he is a chieftain, would not hesitate to mobilize its members in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to join the mass protest by Organised Labour, if no agreement was reached.
“The key to sustainable development is labour productivity in both public and private sectors which is only possible with motivated paid workers and through adequate pensions,” he added.
Aremu noted that government economic recovery would make little impact unless the country end the “persistent crisis of compensation of the working class through enhanced purchasing power which is only possible through prompt and adequate payment of minimum and living wage for the employed workforce.
“For us in the Labour Party, we remain committed to decent work agenda which include payment of a living wage to all categories of workers in the public and private sectors, as investment in human capital is an investment in nation building.”
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