The President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo, has faulted his Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) counterpart, Joe Ajaero, over the latter’s position on salary and allowance negotiations, insisting that the TUC must be part of any discussions involving its members.
Osifo maintained that the NLC lacked the authority to negotiate on behalf of the TUC without its involvement or consultation, describing the agreement on the ₦70,000 transport allowance recently approved by President Bola Tinubu as irregular.
The TUC president made the remarks on Monday during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, amid the ongoing disagreement between the two labour organisations over negotiations with the Federal Government.
Expressing disappointment with Ajaero’s position, Osifo questioned the current leadership of the NLC, recalling previous leaders of the organisation, including Adams Oshiomhole, Hassan Sunmonu and Ayuba Wabba.
He argued that International Labour Organisation (ILO) regulations do not prevent a separate trade union centre from negotiating for its members.
According to him, both the NLC and TUC are expected to participate in relevant discussions, particularly where their respective affiliates are concerned.
Osifo acknowledged that the NLC has more affiliated unions than the TUC but insisted that this does not give it the right to make decisions or negotiate on behalf of another independent labour organisation.
He said both unions should be represented at the negotiating table and reach agreements through mutual consultation.
The TUC president challenged Ajaero to provide documentary evidence from the ILO regulations supporting his position that one labour organisation could negotiate on behalf of another without its participation.
He also questioned Ajaero’s interpretation of the Joint Public Sector Negotiating Council (JNC), arguing that the NLC president had misunderstood the council’s constitution and responsibilities.
Osifo stressed that industrial relations require continuous learning and an understanding of evolving labour policies, adding that previous approaches should not automatically be applied to current challenges.
On the controversy surrounding the ₦70,000 transport allowance, the TUC president disputed claims that the meeting where the agreement was reached constituted an official session of the Joint Public Sector Negotiating Council.
He argued that the Minister of Labour and Ajaero were not members of the council and that the meeting did not satisfy the requirements for a formal JNC gathering, including the stipulated quorum.
Osifo further explained that following the implementation of the new minimum wage, workers were entitled to consequential adjustments reflecting the increase from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000.
However, he accused Ajaero of directing the JNC to apply a uniform ₦40,000 increment across the board, representing the difference between the previous and current minimum wages.
According to Osifo, the approach resulted in inadequate salary adjustments for federal government workers.
He disclosed that he had personally confronted Ajaero at his office over the decision, describing the use of the JNC in arriving at the adjustment as fundamentally wrong.
