NLC Tackles TUC Over Rejection of Tinubu’s ₦70,000 Transport Allowance

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, has criticised the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) over its rejection of the Federal Government’s proposed ₦70,000 transport allowance for workers, insisting that the union was not part of the negotiations that produced the arrangement.

Ajaero said the NLC entered into discussions with the government independently after disagreements emerged between the two major labour centres over the timing of the next minimum wage review.

He maintained that the TUC had previously distanced itself from the negotiations and should therefore explain why it was now opposing the outcome.

The NLC president made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Thursday, where he addressed the dispute surrounding the proposed transport allowance and the wider question of improving workers’ earnings amid economic difficulties.

“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.

According to Ajaero, the NLC had made its position clear from the beginning of the discussions.

He said the union did not present the negotiations as a joint effort with the TUC and had issued a public clarification after reports suggested that both organisations were participating in the same engagement with the Federal Government.

He argued that the TUC could have used the opportunity to demand a higher transport allowance rather than reject the proposed arrangement outright.

In his view, competing demands from both labour organisations could have encouraged further discussions and possibly produced a common position that would benefit workers.

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

The disagreement, he explained, began when the TUC leadership reportedly maintained that the next minimum wage negotiation would become due in August 2027.

The NLC disagreed with that position, arguing that the timing was inconsistent with the applicable legal provisions and that discussions on workers’ wages should not be delayed on that basis.

Ajaero said the NLC consequently decided to pursue its engagement with the government separately.

He recalled that the media reported a meeting involving the two labour centres when the process began, but the TUC subsequently indicated that it was not part of the negotiations.

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

He added that the NLC later issued a statement to remove any doubt about its position and make it clear that it was acting without the TUC’s participation.

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

The NLC president also addressed the broader demand for a salary increase, stressing that workers’ pay could not be adjusted simply through a government announcement without a formal negotiation process involving the appropriate parties.

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

Ajaero maintained that the process for reviewing wages required proper engagement between the government, organised labour and other relevant stakeholders.

He noted that the TUC had previously called for negotiations to begin in August 2027, while the NLC had advocated that the relevant committee commence its work earlier.

“I have been worried for some time now, why you say you reject something that was not given to you,” he said, reiterating his objection to the TUC’s position on the proposed transport allowance.

The TUC, however, has maintained that temporary wage awards are not an adequate response to the financial pressure facing Nigerian workers.

The organisation has called on the Federal Government to pursue a salary increase rather than rely on allowances that may provide only temporary relief.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the TUC President, Festus Osifo, and its Secretary-General, N.A. Toro, rejected the proposed ₦70,000 wage award and demanded an immediate salary adjustment for workers.

The congress argued that the economic difficulties affecting employees required a more sustainable response.

The TUC also accused the Federal Government of failing to fulfil its obligations under the 2023 wage award arrangement for some categories of workers.

It further raised concerns over an agreement on the adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure for health workers under the Joint Health Sector Unions, which it said had remained unresolved for about seven months.

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