…..as congress boycotts FG meeting
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has distanced itself from the nationwide strike action declared Tuesday and Wednesday this week against unfriendly policies of the present administration of President Bola Tinubu.
It rather asked NLC to continue engaging federal government to provide more palliatives to cushion the effects of subsidy removal.
In a statement signed by the president of TUC Festus Osifo and the secretary Nuhu Toro at the end of the congress National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja, TUC said the need to embark on a nationwide strike hasn’t arisen hence the leadership of congress should intensify the conversation with government so that all grey areas identified could be ironed out within the time frame given beyond which the congress cannot guarantee industrial harmony.
The statement urged the Government to do the needful to avoid a situation where the TUC, its affiliates and allies would be compelled to confront the government.
TUC statement reads in part: “That the Federal Government must intensify discussions with the Labour unions on palliatives and alternatives as earlier promised.
“To increase the amount provided for palliatives as 5billion given to each state is grossly inadequate.
“That federal government should deploy high powered monitoring team to ensure that the palliatives get to the right people.
“That President Tinubu should within the next one week make a categorical statement on Wage Award, tax exemptions and allowances to public sector workers, to cushion the pains and anguish they are going through.
“The modalities of accessing the intervention fund that was recently announced as palliatives to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises should be spelt out and implemented immediately.
“That a national monitoring team be set up that will monitor the distribution of Palliatives across the 36 states of the federation and the FCT. The Adhoc committee whose aim is to ensure verifiable and judicious utilization of the palliative will work with the various state councils to ensure that palliatives get to the poorest of the poor and not used for political patronage. These committees that will be headed by a NAC member will be stratified along the six geopolitical zones for effectiveness and efficiency.
“That palliatives in themselves do not solve the long term challenges or hardship faced by the people, such long lasting programmes and initiatives should be evolved that will properly address the sufferings of the people in the long term.
“That the LASG is given a two- week ultimatum within which it should obey the court order, and dispense with the impasse with RTEAN, or face a total shut down effective 12 midnight of 18 September, 2023. All affiliates of TUC and the Lagos State Council of Congress are directed to commence full mobilization, for the total shutdown in Lagos”.
