N70,000 Allowance: ‘Negotiate your terms,’ NLC tells TUC

File: TUC President Festus Osifo (left) and NLC President Joe Ajaero.

Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has asked the Trade Union Congress, TUC, to negotiate its terms with the Federal Government, as it cannot reject the N70,000 transport allowance NLC agreed with government for public sector workers.

Vanguard reported that TUC rejected the proposed N70,000 monthly transport allowance for federal workers, which NLC agreed upon after a meeting.

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According to TUC, the federal government has the resources to pay N300,000.

In a statement by Festus Osifo and Nuhu Toro, President-General and Secretary, respectively, the TUC said in view of the prevailing economic hardship facing workers and the wider population, as well as the proposed measures to address it, what was needed was a salary increase and the implementation of the Joint Health Sector Union, JOHESU, agreement. Read the full story HERE.

Responding in an interview on Channels TV on Thursday, Ajaero, NLC President, said officials of the TUC did not negotiate with the federal government on the subject.

He described TUC’s position on the allowance as improper.

He noted that the leadership of the TUC does not have the power to reject the agreement terms of a sister-agency.

The NLC president said: “I would have preferred a situation whereby if NLC was asking for one Naira, TUC will be asking for 10 Naira.

“TUC never asked for intervention as a result of the rising cost of transportation. On the issue of asking for wage increase, does the government gift wage increase? There must be a process put in place.

“I’m worried for some time now why you will say you reject something that was not given to you. That is not proper.

“You don’t have the power to reject what a sister agency negotiates. You have the power to ask for your own.”