The Background
There has been an upward adjustment in petrol prices, from around N600 to about N900, depending on the location. The federal government says this is expedient because of market dynamics beyond its control. This has caused some uproar, especially from the Nigerian Labour Congress and its President, Comrade Joe Ajaero.
The NLC and its President, Joe Ajaero’s position
i. The NLC’s President Joe Ajaero alleged that the federal government, particularly, the President, HE Bola Tinubu betrayed the labour body over the recent petrol price increment. The NLC stated that there was an agreement there would be no such increment during the last negotiation between it and the federal government over the minimum wage.
ii. The NLC stated that it only accepted the N70k minimum wage because of this understanding that there would be no fuel hike in the immediate future.
iii. The body is threatening an industrial action to force the FG to backtrack on this increment.
iv. The NLC’s president and the NLC have used very inflammatory statements while making their arguments, calling the president a betrayer and referencing a shutdown of the country
Our Arguments
i. There was no agreement between the Federal governmentand the NLC about fuel increment. If there was one, can the NLC show us the evidence? When the labour union and FG enter an agreement, it is usually signed by the representatives of both bodies.
Can the NLC provide the signed agreement?
ii. The NLC’s statement lacks details about the so-called agreement. Who were the witnesses? Who were those in the room when that understanding was reached? The NLC should come clean and stop the emotional blackmail.
No one betrayed the NLC. The price of petrol is not fixed in stone.
iii. The NLC should be careful with its strike threat and further demands for salary increments. Some states already have difficulty paying the N70k minimum wage and have not begun implementing it. Any further demands for salary increments may lead to mass retrenchment of workers at the federal and state levels.
The NLC should exercise patience for governments at all levels to begin implementing the new minimum wage in order not to jeopardize workers’ livelihoods through mass retrenchments.
iv. These contemporary labour leaders are not selfless and use the leverage of being labour leaders to fight for themselves and their own interests. For instance, the NLC threatened to strike because the President was invited for questioning.
v. We believe that labour negotiation should not only be about salary increments but can also revolve around getting some incentives for workers such as discounts, rebates and other ways to make life easier for the worker.
vi. The situation in Nigeria is tense in the aftermath of the #EndHunger protests, which led to the massive destruction of property. The country is still reeling from the aftermath of that protest and we cannot afford another strike or protest now. Our democracy may be at risk with any such action at this time.
vii. Finally, Joe Ajaero and the NLC should stop using inflammatory statements to describe the President. We should respect the dignity of the office. We can disagree without being disagreeable and using abusive words on the president.
Addendum:
1. Energy security is all about availability and affordability. The whole essence of the deregulation of the downstream sector is to ensure both. Affordability without availability will not drive down cost.
2. Oil is an international commodity and so it’s costs is determined by dynamic rather than static factors.
3. Going into negotiations without signing an agreement meant that the Labour leaders actually betrayed the workers.
4. This current minimum wage will only last for three years. The biggest challenge for labour is to ensure that it is implemented across the country as soon as possible.
5. Cascading the minimum wage to all workers including those on special salary scales such as health workers, judiciary workers as well as private sector work and pensioners is the most urgent task before the NLC and other labour leaders
6. Labour leaders particularly the NLC president whose political interests are known have been mixing politics with labour matter
