By Ayomide Otitoju
Nigeria’s main labour unions have ordered their state councils and civil society allies to begin mobilising for possible nationwide action after talks with the Federal Government over petrol prices and a minimum wage review ended Wednesday without agreement.
In a joint statement, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) said their leaders had presented a set of demands “in good faith” during the October 22 meeting, but that the government side was unable to engage substantively.
The unions’ demands include cutting petrol prices to 2024 levels, renegotiating the national minimum wage, implementing agreed tax relief, honouring the JOHESU terms of settlement, and meeting the JPSNC demands on peculiar allowance, wage award and hazard allowance.
“Regrettably, the government delegation came unprepared and without the necessary mandates to engage substantively on these issues,” said the statement, signed by NLC Acting Secretary General Benson Upah. “No concrete commitments were secured, and the outstanding issues remain unresolved.”
According to the unions, the government requested that the meeting be adjourned to Tuesday, October 27, to allow time to assemble the relevant ministers and heads of departments and agencies for what it described as a more productive session.
The NLC said it remained committed to dialogue but would not accept indefinite delay.
“We will report back to our organs, and if no meaningful progress is made on Tuesday, the relevant organs of the NLC will decide the next line of action,” the statement said.
Labour leaders urged workers and the public to remain calm, saying they would attend the next meeting “believing that government will deliver on each of the workers’ demands.”
“We assure all that we shall continue to pursue the interests of workers and the masses through every legitimate means available,” the statement said. “However, we urge all affiliates of NLC, all state councils and our civil society allies to be at alert and start mobilising for a possible action across the nation while we hope that the tenets of our demands are met by the government.”
