The Trade Union Congress(TUC) of Nigeria has turned down the N70,000 wage award proposed by the Federal Government.
In its place, the Congress is asking for an immediate salary review that would see the lowest-paid federal worker earn up to N300,000.
The union in a statement signed by its President General, Comrade Festus Osifo, and Secretary General, Comrade N. A. Toro, said that the N70,000 award was a temporary measure that does not offer lasting relief to workers facing rising living costs.
It argued that government does not need to negotiate a new national minimum wage before increasing salaries, stressing that no law places a ceiling on what workers can be paid as maximum wage.
It cited the example of some states that have already increased their minimum wage to over N100,000, saying the Federal Government can do more by announcing a higher pay package with consequential adjustments across all grade levels.
“Our position was very clear, federal government should review increase salaries of workers. This was hinged on the fact that government does not require minimum wage to be negotiated before increasing workers’ pay as there is no maximum wage law in the country.
“Some states today have raised their minimum wage above N100,000 such that federal government can raise the pay of the lowest worker to N300,000 for example from the current N70,000 and then apply the applicable consequential adjustment.
“While it is good to negotiate minimum wage which will affect other cadre of workers, FGN must raise wage level immediately as there are no law or historical practices stopping it from doing so,” it said.
The Congress said what workers need is a permanent improvement in their income, not short-term interventions.
It faulted the implementation of previous wage awards, recalling the award agreed on October 2, 2023, which it said was not fully implemented, as some workers were not paid or did not get the complete amount.
The TUC said such failures weaken trust in collective bargaining and cast doubt on government’s readiness to keep to new agreements.
It therefore demanded concrete steps, a clear timeline for implementation, and proper budgetary allocation for any salary adjustment.
The Congress also asked the government to immediately implement the agreed adjustment to the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) for members of the Joint Health Sector Unions(JOHESU), noting that seven months after the agreement was reached, it was yet to be effected.
It said government should honour the settlement terms that made JOHESU suspend its industrial action.
The TUC added that it is waiting for the outcome of its scheduled meeting with the Federal Government to determine its next action, while insisting on firm commitments on pay rise, implementation of the JOHESU agreement and resolution of other outstanding wage issues.
“While the workers have kept their side of the bargain, the government hasn’t kept its side of the agreement.
“This continued failure to honour an explicit commitment violates the principle of good faith, undermines confidence in collective bargaining and is absolutely unacceptable to the TUC,” it noted.
