The Lagos State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress [NLC] has demanded a new national minimum wage for workers in the State of N50,000.
Lagos NLC also demanded that the transport, housing and other allowances paid to workers in the state should be increased by 400 per cent.
The Chairman, NLC, Lagos Chapter, Funmi Sessi stated the demands during a rally to mark the World Day for Decent Work in Lagos on Monday in an event with theme: “Invest in care for gender equality: Equal pay for equal work”.
The Union said working in Lagos was more challenging than in other states and that Lagos was a special place and should attract a special form of allowances for its workers.
Sessi noted that workers in Lagos face a lot of hazards in and outside their workplaces, noting that goods in Lagos markets are more expensive than many other places in Nigeria.
Sessi said workers in Nigeria deserved to have better workplaces, adding that the union was tired of workers being exposed to hazards, insecurity, casualisation, forced labour.
She warned employers in the state to stop treating workers as if they were expendable, adding that they deserved to be treated with dignity, given regular appointments with guaranteed remuneration and regular pensions at retirement.
She sought an end to a situation where firms in Nigeria preferred outsourcing their jobs and employing casual labour.
The labour leader accused some foreign firms in the nation of engaging in anti-labour practices such as hiring underage workers and overworking them in exchange for very meagre salaries.
Responding, the Deputy Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Olumuyiwa Jimoh, said the demands would be discussed at the plenary of the house.
He said some of the issues were national and the state had no jurisdiction over them but those concerning the state would be dealt with appropriately.
