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Ajaero Slams TUC, Says Union Was Not Part of Deal
Ajaero Slams TUC, Says Union Was Not Part of Deal
NLC President Joe Ajaero faults TUC for rejecting the Federal Government’s proposed N70,000 monthly transport support, insisting it was not part of the negotiations.
Ajaero says NLC negotiated independently after disagreeing with TUC over the timing of minimum wage negotiations.
Federal Government and NLC agree on six months of transport support from November 2026 and payment of peculiar allowance arrears in three instalments.
TUC rejects the transport intervention, demands an immediate salary increase and accuses the government of failing to fulfil outstanding wage award and health workers’ salary adjustment agreements.
October 29, () – The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has faulted the Trade Union Congress (TUC) for rejecting the Federal Government’s proposed N70,000 monthly transport support for workers, insisting that the union was not part of the negotiations that produced the agreement.
Ajaero said the NLC had made it clear from the outset that it was negotiating independently with the Federal Government, questioning why the TUC would oppose an arrangement it neither negotiated nor signed.
Speaking on MEDIA TODAY’s Morning Brief on Thursday, the NLC president said the disagreement between the two labour centres over the timing of minimum wage negotiations led to the NLC proceeding with its own engagement with the government.
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“Why is TUC challenging what was gotten for the workers when we stated clearly that NLC was acting alone? The agreement was not signed by TUC, and you don’t kick against something that you didn’t negotiate; you never asked for,” Ajaero queried.
The disagreement followed the Federal Government’s conciliation meeting with the NLC in Abuja on October 27, where both parties reached an agreement on a N70,000 transport intervention for workers across all levels for six months, beginning in November 2026.
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The agreement also provided for the payment of peculiar allowance arrears, effective from May 1, 2026, in three equal monthly instalments beginning in November.
Both the government and the NLC further agreed to constitute the Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee and commence meetings immediately, although they remained divided over the effective date for implementation.
NLC President Joe Ajaero
Ajaero Explains Rift Over Minimum Wage Negotiations
Explaining the circumstances that led to the separate negotiations, Ajaero said the disagreement began after the TUC president stated that the national minimum wage would be due for negotiation in August 2027.
He said the NLC disagreed with that position, maintaining that it was inconsistent with the law, and decided to pursue its own discussions with the Federal Government.
According to him, the TUC subsequently distanced itself from the process after reports emerged that both labour centres were jointly meeting with the government.
“When we started the first meeting, the media reported that NLC and TUC had a meeting. They threatened us and said they are not part of it,” Ajaero said.
He added that the NLC later issued a statement clarifying that it was acting independently in the negotiations.
“We came out with a statement that NLC is on this alone; we are not with TUC. So I would be surprised why TUC would be challenging what was gotten for the workers,” he said.
Ajaero said he would have preferred the TUC to demand a higher transport allowance rather than reject the outcome of the NLC’s negotiations, suggesting that both unions could have presented their positions for the government to harmonise.
“I would have preferred a situation whereby if NLC was asking for one naira, TUC would be asking for 10 naira, and probably the government would harmonise it,” he said.
The NLC president also argued that salary increases required a formal negotiation process involving the relevant stakeholders rather than being granted without consultations.
“Does the government dash wage increase? There must be a process put in place,” he said.
He noted that while the TUC had called for negotiations to begin in August 2027, the NLC had advocated the immediate constitution of the relevant committee.
TUC Demands Immediate Salary Increase
The TUC on Wednesday rejected the proposed N70,000 transport intervention, insisting that temporary wage awards were inadequate to address the economic hardship facing Nigerian workers.
A statement jointly signed by TUC President, Festus Osifo, and its Secretary-General, N.A. Toro, the Congress called on the Federal Government to implement an immediate salary increase instead of relying on temporary financial support.
The union also accused the Federal Government of failing to fulfil its 2023 wage award obligations to some workers.
It further raised concerns over what it described as the government’s failure to implement a seven-month-old agreement on the adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) for health workers under the Joint Health Sector Unions.
The TUC maintained that workers needed a salary increase to address prevailing economic difficulties, arguing that temporary support would not adequately meet their demands.
FG, NLC Set Timetable For Allowance Payments
Under the agreement reached at the October 27 conciliation meeting, the Federal Government will provide N70,000 monthly transport support for six months, commencing in November 2026.
The government also approved a peculiar allowance with effect from May 1, 2026, with outstanding arrears to be paid in three equal monthly instalments beginning in November.
In addition, 19 months of outstanding allowances owed to health workers are to be redeemed within three months, beginning in December 2026.
The meeting also addressed the hazard allowance for agricultural workers. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has submitted the list of beneficiaries and associated cost implications to the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission for verification.
The verification exercise is expected to be completed within two weeks, after which the commission will issue an implementation template.
On the adjustment of CONHESS, the commission is expected to complete an update of the cost implications within three weeks to enable the Presidential Committee on Salaries to take a decision.
The issue of tax relief for workers was also discussed, with the meeting resolving that it would be referred to the NLC’s National Executive Council because taxation is a statutory matter.
The Federal Government and the NLC urged state and local governments to key into the transport intervention, while unions were encouraged to pursue implementation at their respective levels.
Both parties agreed to reconvene after one month to assess progress in implementing the resolutions reached at the conciliation meetings.
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