Fuel: TUC demands pay rise as FG, labour meet again Tuesday

Fuel: TUC demands pay rise as FG, labour meet again Tuesday 

President Bola Tinubu will have to approve an immediate increase in workers’ salary and direct the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited to revert to the old pump price of fuel to avert the labour strike slated for Wednesday.

These are some of the demands presented to the Federal Government by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) on Sunday night during a meeting held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Nigeria Labour Congress which shunned the second meeting with the FG team led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, is already mobilising its affiliates and members for the planned nationwide strike.

The TUC also asked for a tax holiday for certain categories of people to cushion the effects of the petrol subsidy removal on them.

While the government acknowledged the feasibility of the demands, they said the demands would be presented to President Tinubu with immediate effect.

The meeting was adjourned till Tuesday (tomorrow) for feedback from both sides.

Dele Alake, spokesperson for the government’s delegation to the meeting, told State House correspondents after the meeting that most of the demands “are not impracticable” and they would be tabled before the President.
Alake said the President’s decisions would be relayed to labour leaders at the next round of negotiations fixed for Tuesday.
Asked if the demand by the labour that the new pump price of petrol be reversed pending conclusion of negotiations, Alake said the decision would likely be taken on Tuesday when both sides meet again.
On NLC’s absence, he said it could be attributed to the inability to finalise with the NEC of the union before the meeting.
Nonetheless, negotiations will continue with all labour unions and stakeholders, he said.
Speaking to journalists, the TUC President, Festus Osifo, said some progress had been made at the negotiations, but noted that the union would still brief its members ahead of Tuesday’s meeting.