N70,000 transport allowance divides NLC, TUC

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have disagreed over the Federal Government’s proposed N70,000 transport allowance for workers, with the two labour unions adopting opposing positions on the offer.

While the TUC has rejected the allowance, insisting that the government should implement a salary increase instead, the NLC has questioned its counterpart’s opposition, arguing that the TUC was not involved in the negotiations with the government.

Daily Trust reports that the TUC, in a reaction to the government’s approval on Wednesday, said it rejected the allowance because of the government’s failure to fulfil previous promises relating to the wage award.

The union argued that temporary wage awards were inadequate to address the economic hardship facing Nigerian workers and urged the government to implement a salary increase instead.

However, speaking on Channels Television’s Morning Brief programme, NLC President Joe Ajaero questioned the TUC’s rejection of the proposed N70,000 transport allowance.

Ajaero said the NLC had made it clear from the outset that it was negotiating independently of the TUC, describing the latter’s opposition to the outcome as surprising.

He said the TUC did not sign the agreement and argued that the union should not oppose an arrangement it did not negotiate.

“Why is TUC challenging what was gotten for the workers when we stated clearly that NLC was acting alone?” Ajaero asked.

“The agreement was not signed by TUC, and you don’t kick against something that you didn’t negotiate, you never asked for,” he added.

Ajaero said he would have preferred the TUC to demand a higher allowance so that both labour centres could negotiate with the government towards a common position.

“I would have preferred a situation where if NLC was asking for one naira, TUC would be asking for 10 naira, and probably the government would harmonise it,” he said.

The NLC president recalled that the disagreement began after the TUC president reportedly said the minimum wage would be due for negotiation in August 2027.

Ajaero said the NLC disagreed with that position, insisting that it was inconsistent with the law, and proceeded with its own engagement with the government.

He added that the TUC had distanced itself from the negotiations after reports emerged that both labour unions were jointly meeting with the government.

“When we started the first meeting, the media reported that NLC and TUC had a meeting. They threatened us and said they were not part of it,” he said.

Ajaero said the NLC subsequently issued a statement clarifying that it was acting independently in the negotiations.

“We came out with a statement that NLC is on this alone; we are not with TUC. So I’m surprised as to why TUC would be challenging what was gotten for the workers,” he said.

On calls for a salary increase, Ajaero argued that such an adjustment could not be granted without a formal process involving the relevant stakeholders.

“Does the government dash wage increase? There must be a process in place,” he said.

He noted that the TUC had called for the process to begin in August 2027, adding that the NLC had advocated the immediate commencement of work by the relevant committee.

“I have been worried for some time now, why you say you reject something that was not given to you,” he said.

However, speaking at the LACAN Conference on Thursday, TUC President Festus Osifo reiterated the union’s rejection of the allowance, insisting that the wage award was unacceptable.

Osifo, who was represented at the conference by the President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Bosun Olabiyi-Agoro, cautioned the government against what he described as attempts to divide organised labour through a divide-and-rule strategy.

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