ABUJA — The NLC and TUC have threatened action on a nationwide scale following their talks with the Federal Government on workers’ welfare, petrol prices and a number of other issues which have not been resolved.
The meeting which took place at the Ministry of Labour in Abuja on Thursday 22nd October concluded in deadlock with the trade unions giving the Government until Tuesday 27th October to make any real progress on the issues.
The unions also instructed their affiliated unions, state councils and civil society partners to start the process of mobilising members for potential nationwide action should the next round of talks fail to result in any tangible commitments.
In a joint statement signed by NLC Acting General Secretary Benson Upah and TUC Secretary General Nuhu Toro the labour centres have expressed their disappointment at the government delegation’s lack of preparedness for the meeting.
The unions have made it clear that their demands are for a return to 2024 petrol prices, a renegotiation of the national minimum wage, implementation of the agreed tax relief, fulfilment of the terms of settlement with JOHESU and resolution of the JPSNC’s demands on the peculiar allowance, the wage award and the hazard allowance.
The statement was: “Unfortunately the Government delegation came in unprepared and without the requisite mandates to be able to engage on the issues in any real way. No tangible commitments were obtained and the issues in hand remain unresolved.”
According to the unions, the Minister of Labour asked that the meeting be postponed until 27th October to give the Government time to make proper arrangements (i.e. to bring together the relevant Ministers and Heads of Departments and Agencies).
The labour centres said they were committed to the process of dialogue but made it clear they would not accept indefinite delays in meeting their demands.
The NLC said it would report the outcome of the meeting to its organs and that they would then decide what the next step would be if no meaningful progress was made at the next meeting.
We are calling on Nigerian workers and the general public to stay calm and steadfast. Organised Labour will be at the next meeting and they believe the government will meet each and every one of the workers’ demands.
The unions also said they would continue to fight for the interests of workers and the wider public through proper and legitimate channels.
They also asked their affiliates, their state councils and their civil society allies to stay alert and to start preparing for the possibility of nationwide action in the meantime as they awaited the outcome of the next meeting.
The outstanding demands relate to issues of pay and welfare for the workforce as well as a range of wider cost of living issues (petrol prices, minimum wage, tax relief, outstanding allowances etc).
The Oct 27 meeting is going to be another opportunity for the government and the organised labour to get on with the issues that remain.
The unions have reiterated their commitment to the process, but their mobilisation directive does suggest that there could be an escalation if the next round of talks fails to yield any real progress.
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