Nigeria Labour Congress President, Joe Ajaero, has insisted that the NLC has the authority to negotiate independently on labour matters, rejecting the position of Trade Union Congress President, Festus Osifo, that both labour centres must participate in such discussions.
Ajaero made the clarification on Monday during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, amid disagreements between the two unions over the Federal Government’s ₦70,000 transport allowance approved for workers across all levels for six months.
He argued that the TUC could participate in negotiations alongside the NLC but could not negotiate independently with labour authorities.
Citing what he described as the International Labour Organisation’s principle of representation by the majority of workers, Ajaero said the NLC determined how the TUC participated in such engagements.
He further claimed that the TUC was required to submit its proposals to the NLC for onward transmission when dealing with the ILO. He also maintained that the Ministry of Labour and other labour authorities would not engage the TUC independently on workers’ welfare negotiations.
Responding to Osifo’s argument that the TUC represented a significant number of federal civil servants, Ajaero cited the Trade Union Amendment Act 2005 and Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantee workers the freedom to choose their unions. He also said only one of the eight union bodies in the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council was affiliated with the TUC, while the other seven belonged to the NLC.
Ajaero explained that the ₦70,000 transport allowance agreement followed an ultimatum issued by the NLC to the Federal Government. He said the government requested four days to meet with labour leaders, after which discussions resumed and the allowance was agreed upon.
The NLC president added that minimum wage demands required the government to establish a negotiation committee before discussions could begin. He stressed that wage increases involved consultations among labour representatives, government officials and employers.
