The Lagos State Public Service Joint Negotiating Council has reacted to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s announcement of an N85,000 minimum wage approval, calling it unexpected.
In a statement signed by union leaders Olusegun Balogun and Aladetan Abiodun, the council clarified that labour unions first learned of the approval through media reports.
Governor Sanwo-Olu disclosed this during a television interview, stating his administration would pay workers a minimum wage of N85,000.
The union emphasized that formal discussions on the minimum wage were still ongoing.
On October 16, 2024, the union received an invitation to discuss the minimum wage. They attended the meeting but insisted on inclusive negotiations involving all relevant stakeholders. The meeting was adjourned to October 21, 2024.
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The union stated on Thursday, “To provide context, on Monday, October 16, 2024, at approximately 4 pm, the union received a call inviting us to a meeting to discuss the minimum wage. As a responsible representative of the workforce, we attended the meeting.
“However, we made it clear that formal discussions could not proceed in the absence of all relevant stakeholders. In line with best practices and in the spirit of social dialogue, we insisted that negotiations should be inclusive.
“As a result, the meeting was adjourned to October 21, 2024, at 10 am. The public announcement of any figure was therefore unexpected.”
The union acknowledged the Governor’s right to make public statements but stressed surprise at the premature announcement given ongoing negotiations.
