Workers’ leaders at war

…As TUC, NLC rift deepens

•Osifo accuses Ajaero of short-changing workers in 2023 negotiations

•Says NLC leader has no power to negotiate on behalf of TUC members

•Ajaero to Osifo: Provide evidence I short-changed workers, have interest in CNG

From **Adanna Nnamani, **Abuja

The President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo, has accused his Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) counterpart, Joe Ajaero, of shortchanging Nigerian workers during negotiations with the Federal Government following the removal of fuel subsidy in 2023.

Osifo, who made the allegation during an interview on a national television network on Friday morning, said Ajaero rushed into negotiations with the government and was about to sign a watered-down two-point proposal despite the TUC having earlier submitted a 10-point demand.

But Ajaero, in a chat with Saturday Sun, challenged Osifo to provide evidence to back his allegations.

Osifo, however, said the TUC had presented its demands to the Federal Government, explaining the rationale behind each of the proposals, but Ajaero moved ahead with negotiations without consulting the congress.

According to him, the TUC only became aware of the development through information received from its contacts and had to intervene to ensure that some additional demands were included in the agreement.

“When we submitted it, let’s assume on a Monday, a meeting was fixed. The Federal Government said they would review it and get back to us within three days.

“The next day, Ajaero quickly went there without submitting any demand at all. He was about to sign a two-point position on what should be done, and it was watered down.

“Information got to us, we ran there and told him no, but finally, we were able to do some little damage control and add one or two things to it. That completely short-changed Nigeria,” he said.

The TUC president also accused Ajaero of undermining the congress whenever it presented what he described as superior arguments during engagements with the government.

He said the disagreement between the two labour unions was not new, adding that the TUC had consistently maintained an independent position on issues affecting workers.

Osifo also faulted the NLC president over the Federal Government’s proposed N70,000 monthly transport allowance for workers, insisting that the arrangement was not negotiated by Ajaero but announced by President Bola Tinubu.

He said the TUC had rejected the proposal because of its experience with the 2023 wage award, which he claimed was poorly implemented, with payments delayed and some workers failing to benefit.

According to him, although the 2023 wage award was approved on October 2, implementation did not commence until February, while subsequent payments were also delayed by several months.

“We explained to government that that wage award, we don’t like it. Because the one of 2023, although implemented well, how do we bring another system that wasn’t implemented well previously?

“When you look at that wage award that was approved October 2nd in that communiqué, there was no start of implementation on October 2nd. They never started. They now waited till February before they paid February and March. They didn’t pay again. The other two months, the payment was made like three, four months later,” he said.

Osifo maintained that the TUC had proposed a more sustainable intervention through an increase in workers’ salaries rather than another temporary allowance.

He explained that the TUC had also advocated a review of workers’ earnings, with discussions on a new minimum wage to commence subsequently.

On the N300,000 minimum wage proposal attributed to the TUC, Osifo said the figure was an illustration of the congress’s demand and not a fixed amount it expected government to accept without negotiations.

He said the immediate priority was to secure a salary increase, while negotiations on a new minimum wage could begin around February if an agreement on salary adjustment was reached.

The TUC president further accused Ajaero of attempting to negotiate on behalf of TUC members without the TUC’s involvement, insisting that the NLC had the right to negotiate for its affiliates but not for members of another labour centre.

He disclosed that the TUC had over 300,000 members in the federal civil service, stressing that their interests could not be negotiated without the congress being represented at the table.

“Ajaero must understand that he does not have the right to negotiate on behalf of organised labour. He does not have the right to negotiate for TUC members. He has the right 100 per cent to negotiate for NLC members,” he said.

Osifo also alleged that personal interests influenced some of Ajaero’s positions, citing the NLC president’s reported interest in participating in the compressed natural gas (CNG) business.

He said the TUC had distanced itself from any industrial action or labour campaign it considered driven by political or personal interests.

The TUC president, however, maintained that his organisation remained committed to improving workers’ welfare, including through sector-specific collective bargaining agreements.

He cited his experience as former president of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), saying negotiations under his leadership resulted in the signing of over 500 collective bargaining agreements with improved conditions of service.

Osifo also called for the inclusion of pensioners in discussions on workers’ welfare, lamenting that their concerns had been largely neglected in recent engagements with the government.

He said the TUC would continue to press for measures that would provide lasting relief for workers and retirees.

However, reacting to the allegations in a chat with our correspondent, Ajaero challenged Osifo to produce evidence that he was about to sign a watered-down two-point proposal during the 2023 negotiations.

“About to sign and you are asking me. Is ‘about to sign’ the evidence you have? Where is the document that I signed?” he queried.

On the allegation that he had an interest in the CNG business, the NLC president demanded evidence from Osifo, insisting that he would not respond to claims based on hearsay.

“Does this make sense? Did he tell you the interest in CNG? If he doesn’t produce the evidence I will not respond. Hearsay evidence cannot avail,” he said.

Ajaero also questioned the basis of Osifo’s allegation that he short-changed workers, asking: “How can someone accuse you of short-changing workers without citing instances?”

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