The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has said the Federal Government does not need to wait for a new minimum wage agreement before increasing workers’ salaries if it is truly committed to their plight.
TUC President Festus Osifo made the assertion at a press briefing with newsmen after the congress’s National Administrative Council (NAC) meeting in Abuja, saying the government could independently review workers’ salaries in response to prevailing economic realities.
Osifo disclosed that the congress had commenced preparations for negotiations on a new minimum wage, insisting the process should begin about six months before the current wage agreement expires in August 2027.
Drawing on the experience of the last minimum wage negotiation, which took about three to four months, he said the government should constitute a committee around February 2027 to commence discussions.
This, he argued, would give the parties enough time to conclude negotiations by May or June, ahead of the expiration of the current minimum wage.
The TUC boss explained that the minimum wage was only a wage floor, and that the government could decide to pay workers above the statutory minimum without waiting for a new minimum wage law.
He noted that workers in several sectors, including banking, food and beverages, and oil and gas, were already earning substantially above the minimum wage.
Osifo also urged the government to address the welfare of its workers immediately, particularly those on the lower levels of the federal payroll.
On the lingering dispute with the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), Osifo gave the Federal Ministry of Health a few days to resolve outstanding issues contained in the communique that led to the suspension of the union’s strike.
He said the TUC would write to the Minister of Health to draw his attention to the unresolved issues, adding that the congress was also engaging its sister labour centre on the matter. Osifo warned that the two labour centres would intervene if the issues were not resolved following the latest engagements with the ministry.
The TUC president also called for increased funding for the fight against insecurity, saying persistent kidnappings and killings had affected farming, investment and economic activities across the country.
He said the government must prioritise the protection of lives and property, noting that citizens needed to be alive and secure to enjoy the benefits of infrastructure and other government projects.
On the economy, Osifo said the naira remained undervalued and urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to strengthen the currency, arguing that a stronger naira would reduce pressure on fuel, food and other commodities with foreign exchange components.
He also called for the revival of the textile industry, citing high energy and production costs, layoffs and declining employment in the sector.
Osifo urged the Ministry of Labour to enforce decent working conditions across workplaces and tackle excessive casualisation, poor remuneration and unsafe working environments.
On the 2027 general elections, he called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure the electoral process was transparent, open and credible.
He said: “We have mentioned several times that allowances do not need a minimum wage conversation. And even salaries, government on its own can actually push the salaries of workers up, even without a minimum wage conversation.
“Minimum wage is minimum. Government can decide to pay whatever it wants to take care of its employees. Employers can decide to do way above what is there at the minimum threshold.
“So, if the committee can be inaugurated in February, we can start work, so that by the end of May or June, we could have a new minimum wage.
“Government does not even need to wait for a new minimum wage Act to be signed before government will take care of its workers.”
On the health sector dispute, he added: “We are going to send a letter to the Minister of Health, draw his attention to that communique once again. By the time we draw his attention, we wait for his response.
“But it is when those issues are not resolved, because in the communique, it is stated that the two labour centres are going to intervene should there not be conclusions before the end of April.”
