The Oyo State Council of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has called on the new administration led by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the country to revert fuel litre price to #189.
This was stated on Friday in Ibadan during an exclusive interview with newsmen.
Speaking to our correspondence in Ibadan, the Secretary, Trade Union Congress, TUC in the state,Comrade Babatunde Balogun said since the Federal Government of Nigeria sees removal of fuel subsidy as the only panacea to move the nation forward, it should first meet the outlined charter of demands of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria before embarking on the removal to ease the potential hardship on the workers and masses.
Balogun added that, the next line of action should be meeting with the labour Unions condition submitted in its charter of demands to government including upward increase in the national minimum wage from #30,000 to #200,000 and other palliatives that will positively affect potential economic tension in the country.
The State TUC secretary insisted that labour unions in the country are not toothless as some claim, Balogun explained that operations of the labour unions are usually on realities unground at the time of struggle.
” It is not about going to the war. To us, your war must be well defined. After all, we believe in 3c’s. If there are any issues at hand, before we go to work, we first engage in consultation. We consolidate on the consultation before we can confront. We don’t just start to say… ‘ You don’t beat a child that child that doesn’t offend you’. If there are issues, we go to negotiations first and it is the outcome of the negotiation that will give birth to the next line of action”, he said.
Balogun stressed that organized labour unions have remained the most effective, added this enabled instant listening to the demands of the labour centres by government at all levels.
” Our position now is being listened to by government because they know we are also stakeholders in nation building. We are effective, it’s our approach that is different. “
” We don’t just go to strike. There were periods where we disagreed with the government. Earlier this year if I may say, January ending precisely, we issued ultimatum regarding non-payment of deductions and leave bonuses to the government, we issued three- day ultimatum to the governor, and within three days, he paid 2 months out of the deductions he was owing then. We don’t just go to war, we must balance it so that we do not lose the grip of our members, whatever we put on the table of the government , we weigh it”, we tarry awhile for the government in order to meet up with other demands”.
However, the TUC maintained that in its meeting with the State Governor, Seyi Makinde on Monday there was no compromise. Balogun informed that the major essence of the meeting was to put in place a committee to review minimum wage, he noted that the committee is yet to commence sitting .
He said the organized labour unions in the state would be too careful in entering any agreement with the government as to protect interest of the workers.
” As regards the minimum wage regime, our expectation is that our Godsent Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde will key in to whatever that is agreed at the national level so that Oyo State workers would be well remunerated. Because it is the same market we are going”
” Another issue that emanated during the course of the meeting includes non- payment of staff five months deductions, leave bonuses and even car loan by government to the working people of Oyo State. And government promised that it is looking into issue of deductions and leave bonus among others.”
Meanwhile, the TUC has described the decision taken by Edo governor, Godwin Obaseki to speedily increase minimum wage in the state by N10000 as “Greek gift” which might not be made formal when national minimum wage is reviewed.
“What transpired in Edo cannot be replicated in Oyo as far as I am concerned. What the governor of Edo did is what I will call ‘Greek gift’ . Because by the time there is new national minimum wage in place, and a government is trying to say that it’s just negotiated #40,000 minimum wage , that can’t stand , we’ll go into negotiation to review that agreement to meet current demand, because national minimum wage is a constitutional matter.”
“Anybody that fails to meet that law can be sued by workers or labour movement, so we won’t take any longer. If there’s a national minimum wage, all the state government of the federation ought to put in measures to ensure it is being effected across board.”
Against the subsidy removal in the country, Balogun said” Because of economic consequences of subsidy removal on the Nigeria masses and the working people, the Federal Government must put in place workable palliatives to ease the potential economic effects on Nigerians. What we are saying is that before you can remove subsidy, because we are not the cause of subsidy, inflation and corrupt practices in governance to start with, every government all over the world subsidizes, so if the Nigeria government subsidizes, it’s okay. If successive government before now has fixed our refineries , we might not have any cause to talk about removal on petroleum products, but because of their failure ,they are now putting hardship on Nigeria masses , you have failed in your area, take responsibility”.
Balogun called on the federal government to increase reasonably subventions of state governments towards meeting whatever that is agreed upon as national minimum wage, urged Governor Makinde to domesticate whatever the wage agreed nationally.
“It is believed the governor of Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde is working tirelessly on other major mediums to also jerk-up the IGR of the state and if that’s done, it will also help the general development to include remuneration of the working people of Oyo State.”
