Increase your workers salaries, ASSBIFI urges employers in marking Decent Workday

ASSBIFI said: “We celebrate a decent workday today with the theme of wage justice because we know that we need a wage that will be strong enough to be able to go to the working place to work.”

By Eberechi Obinagwam

The Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions, (ASSBIFI) has urged employers of labour to increase the salaries of their workers or provide them with incentives.

ASSBIFI president, Comrade Oyinkan Olasanoye made this call in a press statement held to celebrate the Decent work day.

A decent workday according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) is defined as productive work for women and men in conditions of freedom, equity, security, and human dignity.
It is celebrated on October 7, yearly and the theme for this year’s celebration is ‘wage justice’

Olasanoye while speaking on the year’s theme: Wage Justice’ said that workers need a wage that is enough to take care of the specific areas of life like shelter, health, food, education, and some other basic needs, in essence, said workers need a wage that will be strong enough to be able to go to the working place to work, hence the chosen topic, ‘wage justice’

”We celebrate a decent workday today with the theme of wage justice because we know that we need a wage that will be strong enough to be able to go to the working place to work.

According to her, ”when we work under a condition that the wages are so low, we couldn’t have enough and you know, in an economy like Nigeria that we have a lot of dependents the wages will not be enough. So what we are doing is that we have been talking to our employers and in-house on the need for a salary increase in a time like this,”

“Yes, it may affect the profits. But if we are happy, it will also increase the profit because there will be motivation. We will be motivated to increase productivity. So it is a win-win. When you see a situation like this, even if you do not come out to add it in Naira and kobo, you can give us a free bus that will stop the transportation cost. We can be given meals in the offices.

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There are so many incentives that our employer must bring on board in a season like this and relieve that wage because if you are giving me free bus. If you are giving me meals in the office, if you increase my medical it may not get to my dependents that are not officially recognized but it will help.”

“So we appeal to all employers of labor in a season like this for an increase in salaries or add incentives. Most countries, even Lagos State have done it. They should recognize that as long as you need me to work in the office, you need me to be physically fit to work. And being physically fit starts from the wages you are paying me. So we appeal to all employers of labor in Nigeria to look into it.”

Presenting a paper on Decent workday, Alex Ogundadegbe said in a glimpse of the world wage situation today, vast inflation driven by project extraction by powerful companies and corporations that control energy, health, transport, food chains, and other vital commodities is sending yet more workers and their families into poverty.

He disclosed that more than half of households are struggling to get by, while 10% are unable to meet the cost of essentials.

Ogundadegbe stated that for wage justice to have an effect, the world needs a new social contract with wage justice at its heart.

“The global deficit of 575 million jobs must be closed, fundamental workers’ rights must be respected, discrimination must be replaced by equality, social protection must be extended to all, and an inclusive world economy, unchained from the vestiges of colonialism must be built,”

On the issue of ASUU, he said strategic engagement needs to be adopted in winning wage justice.

According to him, we are in an election year and ASUU should leverage the electorate to its advantage.

“Workplaces do not have to be shut down totally. Protests and rallies can be organised while workers are still at their duty posts.”

“Nobody gains from a strike and strikes should be short-termed rather than elongated,” he said.

Also, ASSBIFI national financial Secretary, Olowookere Dayo suggested that for wage justice to have a place in Nigeria the federal government must have to fix the rail and light. “Increasing salaries is increasing problems,” he suggested.