Trade unionism and the politics of minimum wage implementation in Bayelsa State, Nigeria, 2012-2022

Abstract

This study investigated the role of trade unions (TU) in the politics of national minimum wage (NMW) implementation in Nigeria, with focus on Bayelsa State, 2019-2023. The problem of the study was that dynamics of power play and pursuit of selfish interest by leadership of the unions undermined the successful implementation of the 2019 NMW, particularly the consequential adjustment in wage. Marxist political economy was adopted as the theoretical framework of analysis. The study adopted mixed research method and applied the descriptive survey research design, by using both primary and secondary data. The study found that civil servants in Bayelsa State do not have good working conditions in terms of fully enjoying the 2019 NMW because the state government has a negative disposition towards the interests and welfare of civil servants. This is exacerbated by the weakness and ineffectiveness of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), in such a way that the government and the leadership of NLC jointly exploit the workers. Fundamentally, the character of the national minimum wage law is major problem of NMW implementation in Nigeria. The study therefore recommended among others that Bayelsa State government should prioritize the welfare of civil servants in the State, bottom-up strengthening of the union and worker’s education consciousness should be encouraged and depolarization of the trade union, amendment of the NMW law in manner that accommodates percentile consequential adjustment relatively a new wage regime.