FG to consider the TUC’s requests, establish committee to review the minimum wage

Dele Alake, a federal government spokesperson, stated that the government will also evaluate the demands’ feasibility.

The Federal Government has stated that it will consider the Trade Union Congress’s (TUC) list of demands, which includes a minimum wage.

After a three-hour meeting between the Federal Government and the TUC, the Federal government’s spokesperson, Dele Alake, told State House correspondents that the government will also consider the demands’ feasibility.

Government officials are contemplating tax holidays for employees.

Alake stated that President Bola Tinubu will establish a tripartite committee consisting of states, organized labor, and the private sector to study the dynamics of the minimum wage increase and reach a mutually agreeable conclusion.

According to him, there is no disagreement with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) regarding their demand for a review of the minimum wage or a return to the status quo, and FG representatives will meet with the President to finalize decisions regarding the demands.

He added that the NLC’s absence from the discussion does not indicate the group’s isolation, but that the FG is making efforts to reach them, as the parties have agreed to reconvene on Tuesday, twenty-four hours before the NLC’s planned strike.

In the meantime, the TUC has maintained that, in the interest of social dialogue, the Federal Government should revert the price of petroleum while discussions continue.

Festus Osifo, president of the TUC, stated that the union is optimistic because the Federal Government has vowed to review their demands, the most important of which is a review of the current minimum wage.

“The demands are so extensive and numerous. A portion of this is the demand for a (evaluation) of the minimum wage, and we stated that it is quite appropriate that, as we all know, the minimum wage is not a living wage. The value of the minimum wage has declined to a very pitiful level since it was negotiated.”