TUC rejects FG’s proposed ₦70,000 wage award to workers

Says govt has capacity to raise pay of lowest-paid worker to ₦300,000

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA — The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has rejected the proposed ₦70,000 monthly wage award for federal workers, which was agreed upon after a meeting between the Federal
Government and the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

While rejecting the ₦70,000 monthly wage award, the TUC said the Federal Government has the capacity to raise the salary of the lowest-paid worker to ₦300,000 from the current minimum wage of ₦70,000, without waiting for a review of the minimum wage.

In a statement jointly signed by Comrades Festus Osifo and Nuhu Toro, President-General and Secretary respectively, the TUC said that, in view of the prevailing economic hardship facing workers and the wider population, as well as the proposed measures to address it, what is needed is a salary increase and the implementation of the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) Agreement.

On the position of the TUC, it said: “Our position is unequivocal: workers are not asking for favours; they are demanding social and economic justice that protects their dignity and livelihoods.

“The TUC will continue to defend workers’ rights without retreat, expose non-compliance and pursue every legitimate avenue to compel the government to honour its obligations.

“Workers’ welfare is not a privilege. Agreements must be honoured. Workers’ rights must be respected. Government must comply.

“The TUC therefore rejects inadequate temporary relief and demands wage justice for all categories of workers, social protection, reduction of the cost of living for the vulnerable, and full compliance with agreements.

“The TUC therefore awaits the final outcome of the scheduled meeting with the government to decide on its next line of action.”

It said temporary wage awards are not sustainable or far-reaching.

“The wage award agreed between the Federal Government and organised labour on October 2, 2023, was to be implemented until a new minimum wage was agreed in 2024, but it was never implemented holistically. Some workers are still being owed one or two months, while others never received the award at all.”

The trade union movement wondered why the government was returning to the same wage award that “never benefited all workers. How can workers be expected to trust fresh promises when previous obligations remain outstanding?

“There was irregularity in the payment of the 2023 wage award, as those who even received up to four months’ wage award of ₦40,000 never got it every month, but at one- or two-month intervals and after several pushes.

“Over 80 per cent of states and the informal sector never implemented any form of wage award.

“From the foregoing, we further reiterate our demand for a pay raise for all government workers, as salary is the only consistent and far-reaching pay that workers can rely upon.

“This was our position during the consultative interaction, and it remains our position today, as we strongly believe that the long sacrifices of Nigerian workers should not be sacrificed at the altar of an ill-conceived temporary measure.”

The TUC said negotiations for a new national minimum wage must not become an excuse for postponing an urgent pay increment.

On cost-of-living relief and the protection of vulnerable Nigerians, the union said: “During the interaction, we also opined that the economic crisis affects not only federal workers but also state and local government employees, pensioners, private-sector workers and workers in the informal economy, who face rising costs of food, transportation, healthcare and other essentials.

“The TUC then called on governments at all levels to implement measurable interventions to reduce the cost of essential goods and services, ensure timely payment of salaries and pensions, protect existing jobs, curb exploitative labour practices and revitalise the productive sector to create decent employment.

“It reiterated that these interventions must be inclusive, adequately funded and supported by clear implementation timelines, and that the government must move beyond policy announcements and demonstrate tangible improvements in the living conditions of Nigerians.”

On the JOHESU issue, the statement said the TUC President, Comrade Engr. Festus Osifo, led a team that included the JOHESU leadership and a representative from its sister congress to resolve the JOHESU industrial action, which had lasted for several months.

“After several intervening meetings held at the office of the Minister of Health, a final conciliatory meeting was held at the office of the Minister of Labour and Employment, where a communiqué was agreed upon by both parties.

“The Federal Government delegation was led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi; the Minister of Health and Coordinating Minister for Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate; and the then Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun.”