Labour union threatens FG with another strike over non-payment of N35,000 wage agreement

Labour union threatens FG with another strike over non-payment of N35,000 wage agreement

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has warned the federal government against stopping the payment of the N35,000 wage award meant to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal.

This is coming against the backdrop of complaints by federal government workers that they are yet to get the payment.

The union threatened that they might not be able to guarantee industrial peace on Tuesday while addressing the press after the Congress’ emergency National Executive Council meeting in Abuja.

The labour union alleged that the fund was paid only once in the month of October to cover only September salaries, as directed by the government.

Recall that the government had approved the payment of fund after the October 1 broadcast by President Tinubu, where he granted N25,000 to certain categories of Nigerian workers, which was later raised to N35,000 and given across the board.

However on Tuesday, Festus Osifo, the TUC President, said that the federal government must begin the payment with immediate effect or face the dire consequences.

The Congress specifically said it had it in good authority that workers had received only one month payment meant for September and that only a few workers had been paid for the second time.

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Osifo also warned all the 36 state governments across the country and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to “tighten” their belt in assuaging the plight of workers occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidies to avoid a fresh crisis in the country.”

“We want the government to tighten their belts, government at all levels – the federal government, the state and local governments because a situation where they are asking Nigerians to keep tightening their belt and they (government officials) are living in affluence is unacceptable.”

The Federal Government, in a bid to avert a nationwide strike, had promised to pay workers N35,000 wage allowances to alleviate the hardship being experienced as a result of the subsidy removal policy.

President of TUC, Festus Osifo, specifically accused the federal government of reneging on their collective agreement when they met at the Presidential Villa to avert the nationwide strike they had initially planned to undertake.

While addressing the press on Tuesday in Abuja, Osifo said, “I will also call out the respective state government to do the same for the state governments that have agreed to pay the 35,000 Naira wage award to say kudos to them. For those who have also agreed to do something close to 35,000, we say we are welcoming that, but for all those who are running away from paying these amounts and from providing any palliative, remember, the only possibility because when the people are hungry, it increases the level of crime in society because people will keep looking for what to eat.

“Payment has been made just once, or as we speak now, members in the federal civil service have not received a wage award since October. We wish to call on the government to fast-track all the processes. We learnt that they are currently putting some things in place to pay this money our people are not ready to listen to music.

“All we want is that this money should be paid into our members’ accounts or that the new minimum wage is put in place,” he said.