The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened possible nationwide action if the Federal Government fails to address workers’ demands at the next meeting scheduled for Tuesday, October 27.
The warning followed the breakdown of talks between the Federal Government and organised labour in Abuja on Thursday, with no agreement reached on key demands including petrol price reduction, minimum wage renegotiation and outstanding allowances.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Acting General Secretary of the NLC, Comrade Benson Upah, said the government delegation came unprepared and lacked the necessary mandate to negotiate meaningfully on the issues raised.
He said:“ Labour presented its demands in good faith; including a reduction in petrol prices to 2024 levels, renegotiation of the national minimum wage, implementation of the agreed tax relief, the JOHESU terms of settlement, and 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. No concrete commitments were secured, and the outstanding issues remain unresolved.”.
The meeting, convened at the Ministry of Labour, was adjourned at the request of the Minister of Labour to enable the government to assemble relevant ministers and heads of departments and agencies for the next session.
Among labour’s demands are a reduction in petrol prices to 2024 levels, renegotiation of the national minimum wage, implementation of agreed tax relief measures, settlement of issues concerning the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), and the demands of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (JPSNC) on peculiar allowances, wage awards and hazard allowances.
The NLC said it would report the outcome of the meeting to its organs, warning that failure to make meaningful progress at the next session would leave its relevant organs to decide the next line of action.
“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 added
While urging workers and the general public to remain calm, the labour centre called on its affiliates, state councils and civil society allies to remain alert and begin mobilisation for possible action across the country.
The congress, however, said it remained committed to dialogue, expressing hope that the government would meet workers’ demands at the next meeting.
It added that organised labour would continue to pursue the interests of workers and the masses through all legitimate means.
