The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has rejected the Federal Government’s proposed N70,000 monthly wage award for federal workers, insisting that the government has the capacity to raise the pay of the lowest-paid worker to N300,000.

The congress said a substantial salary increase, rather than temporary financial relief, was necessary to address the economic hardship confronting Nigerian workers.

The position was contained in a statement jointly signed by the TUC President, Festus Osifo, and its Secretary, Nuhu Toro, following a meeting between the Federal Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), where the proposed wage award was agreed upon.

The TUC maintained that workers needed sustainable improvements in their earnings to cope with rising costs of food, transportation, healthcare and other essential services.

“Our position is unequivocal: workers are not asking for favours; they are demanding social and economic justice that protects their dignity and livelihoods,” the congress stated.

It also demanded the implementation of outstanding agreements, including the agreement involving the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), stressing that government must fulfil its obligations to workers.

The labour centre criticised the handling of the N40,000 wage award introduced in 2023, alleging that its implementation was irregular and incomplete.

According to the TUC, some workers were still owed one or two months’ payments, while others did not benefit from the award at all.

It further claimed that more than 80 per cent of states and the informal sector failed to implement any form of wage award, questioning the rationale behind introducing another temporary arrangement.

The congress argued that the previous experience had undermined workers’ confidence in government promises, insisting that outstanding obligations must be settled before fresh commitments are made.

It said negotiations over a new national minimum wage should not be used as a reason to delay an urgent salary increase.

Beyond federal workers, the TUC called on federal, state and local governments to introduce measurable interventions to ease the cost-of-living crisis affecting pensioners, private-sector employees and informal-sector workers.

It urged governments to reduce the cost of essential goods and services, ensure prompt payment of salaries and pensions, protect existing jobs, tackle exploitative labour practices and strengthen productive sectors to generate decent employment.

The congress stressed that such interventions must be adequately funded, inclusive and supported by clear implementation timelines, adding that government policies must translate into tangible improvements in citizens’ living conditions.

On the JOHESU dispute, the TUC said its president, Osifo, had led a delegation comprising union leaders and a representative of a sister labour congress in efforts to resolve the industrial action that had lasted several months.

It said a final conciliation meeting was held at the office of the Minister of Labour and Employment, following earlier engagements at the Ministry of Health, resulting in a communiqué agreed upon by both parties.

The TUC said it was awaiting the outcome of its scheduled meeting with the Federal Government before deciding on its next line of action.

It reiterated its commitment to defending workers’ rights, insisting that temporary wage awards could not replace sustainable salary improvements and full compliance with agreements.