In its further negotiation with the federal government, organised labour has reduced its request for a living minimum national wage from its initial N615,000 to N500,000.
The new figure followed its inability to reach an agreement on the earlier demand with the government at the Tripartite Committee meeting on Tuesday.
In an interview with The PUNCH, the deputy president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Political Commission, Prof. Theophilus Ndubuaku, said the labour team was compelled to reduce its demand to ensure the federal government meets up with the arrangement.
Unfortunately, he expressed concern that despite their shifting ground, the government has stalled the negotiation process.
Ndubuaku had said labour found it appalling that the government is not showing any sign of empathy despite knowing that the masses were struggling to adjust to the hardship and inflation brought about by its policies.
On the next course of action if Wednesday’s meeting ended in another deadlock, the unionist stated that they may return to tell the anxious Nigerian workers to stay at home until the government comes up with an acceptable offer.