DSM Minimum Wage symposium in Osogbo

By Ayo Ademiluyi

The Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM), Osun State held a symposium on the raging issue of N18, 000 minimum wage the Osun State workers are currently engaged in. The symposium with the theme: N18, 000 Minimum Wage; the Way Forward, was held at the NUT Secretariat Auditorium, along Iwo Road in Osogbo on Saturday, 6th August, 2011. The symposium had in attendance almost 40 persons while speakers included Comrade Dagga Tolar (member National Executive Committee (NEC) of DSM and chairman of Association of Nigerian Authors in Lagos State), Comrade Alfred Adegoke (the Osun State Coordinator of DSM) and Comrade Wale Oyeniyi, the Principal Assistant Secretary of NUT in Osun State. Also in attendance were labour activists and leaders from NUT, NULGE and MHWUN; and student activists.

Comrade Dagga Tolar spoke on why all the ruling politicians are stubbornly opposed to the implementation of the minimum wage, which is a modest amount in the real sense. He called on workers to ensure their leaders lead mass movement in defence of the wage. More than this, he called for a working people’s party to get working people government that will implement working people and socialist programmes. Comrade Adegoke tasked the labour leaders to organize mass actions and should not limit the struggle to mere sit-at-home strike. Mass actions like protests, rallies, and mass meetings need to be organized to defeat government. He also called for strike committees across the state to organize mass actions. Comrade Oyeniyi used the occasion to inform the gathering that workers’ strike had commenced since Friday, 5th August, in order to beat government’s attempt at breaking the strike. He also exposed the hypocrisy of the government on the financial state of the state.