The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has vowed to resist moves to reduce or deduct salaries of workers by government on account of COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the nation.
President of NLC, Ayuba Wabba, in a solidarity message to commemorate this year International Workers Memorial Day said state chapters had been mandated to set up machineries to resist any governor that seeks to slash workers’ salaries.
“This is not the time to stop or deduct from workers’ salaries. Such an action would be both illogical and illegal as workers’ salaries are core elements of employment contracts and collective bargaining agreements. We have asked our affiliates and state councils to resist any salary deduction on the account of COVID-19. We reassure our workers that our priority in these trying times remains the cautious, gradual, evidenced led and smart restart of the economy so that our workers can go back to work. We are also completely committed to the recovery of lost jobs, protection of wages, support for income and livelihood and improvement of Nigeria’s social safety net,” Wabba said.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has urged employers of labour to ensure safe and healthy working conditions for workers by managing the risks of exposure to infectious diseases, especially COVID-19.
Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr. Festus Keyamo, who stated this, urged workers to cooperate with their employers by adopting safe and healthy work behaviour.
He said by adopting preventive measures such as good hygiene, physical distancing, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), among others, the risk of exposure to COVID-19 in workplaces would be lowered.
