The Federal Workers Forum (FWF) has lambasted the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) for “disappointing” Nigerian workers.
This was contained in a statement by Comrade Andrew Emelieze who is the National Coordinator (FWF).
Copied in the statement included; the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Federal Ministry of Labour, the Head of Service of the Federation, Civil society organisations, Labour movements worldwide.
“It has been a story of disappointment always. The NLC/TUC have severally disappointed the Nigerian workers. The current hardship faced by workers nationwide has shown that the NLC/TUC and their affiliate unions have failed the Nigerian working class.
“There is no excuse however to allow for this mass suffering and torture of the working class. The current situation at hand has proven that the NLC/TUC has been playing a lip service to the plight of the suffering workers and the masses.
“The two labour centres have been hypocritical, playing to the gallery and most times diverting the attention of workers with petty agitations.”
They accused the NLC of being dysfunctional.
“Labour has been disfunctional, even when President Tinubu unilaterally removed subsidy on petrol, which to most of us is an economic sabotage, labour was not able to find a rationale to mobilise the workers to totally reject the petrol price increment from N187 and now being sold for over N1200, this shows to us that labour has abandoned their responsibilities.”
This is even as the group condemned the Labour for accepting the N70,000 minimum wage, wondering why the Labour was happy about the wage which was barely $40.
“This to us is wickedness and labour has shown itself to be part of this conspiracy against the Nigerian workers. To the best of our knowledge, labour has gone to sleep and whenever the opportunity arises. workers are traded off and sold out by the NLC/ TUC.”
They also accused the federal government of taxing workers N33,000 while adding N40,000 to the salaries.
“The consequential adjustments across all levels in the federal public service further show the NLC/TUC as a complete failure and a liability to the Nigerian working people.”
“Only N40,000 was added to the federal workers, which was equally taxed and at around N33,000 was the only addition to federal government workers’ salary.”
“We the Federal Workers are really very disappointed in the NLC/TUC. Currently, our salaries is being delayed and paid in batches. Presently. most of the Federal Workers have not received their November salaries and workers are now begging their different MDA’s to pay up the November salary, yet labour remains mute.”
“The government is still owing us five months wage awards, arrears of the minimum wage, promotion arrears and many more outstanding arrears over the years but our unions have turned a blind eyes on this.”
The group alleged that the NLC/TUC are both deceiving workers.
“We the federal workers therefore have evaluated the activities of the NLC/TUC, We have come to the conclusion that the NLC/TUC is deceiving the Nigerian workers and that this present crop of leadership will not lead a struggle towards the emancipation of the working class.
“We will only be deceiving ourselves too if we don’t engage this ugly situation critically. As a matter of fact, it is also discovered that there is massive corruption in the trade unions and their leadership is not different from what is obtainable with the decadence in Nigeria.”
The forum also passed a vote of no confidence on the NLC/TUC while warning Tinubu that they maybe forced to pass a vote of no confidence on him if he fails to pay the arrears owed them.
“We are also using this opportunity to remind the federal government that we the federal workers are rejecting the starvation N70,000 minimum wage which to us is oppressive, exploitative and wickedness visited on the workers.”
“This is not the best of times to owe salaries. We are calling on the federal government to immediately pay up November salary and ensure that December salaries are paid before Christmas and not repeat the incidence of last year that saw the delay in December salaries.”
“It is equally very important that all outstanding arrears and five months wage award owed the federal government workers be paid before the end of December 2024.”
“We demand that the federal government put in place mechanisms from January next year to start paying a family support allowance and or a cost of living allowance to federal government workers to cushion the effects of the hardship ravaging the Nigerian people.”
“We are also giving our final warning to Mr President to address the hunger and hardship crisis confronting us, the federal workers and the masses at large else we will not hesitate to pass a vote of no confidence on President Bola Tinubu as earlier promised and also we wil lead agitations to revolt against hunger and hardship in Nigeria if these crisis of hunger and hardship is not addressed,” the group noted.
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