FG CONVENES ANOTHER MEETING WITH TRADE UNION CONGRESS IN ASO ROCK

The Federal Government convenes a follow-up meeting between government officials and executives of the Trade Union Congress, TUC owing to growing opposition to the fuel subsidy removal last week.

The meeting, scheduled to hold today at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, will have the TUC table a number of demands its members want the government to accede to immediately.

Already, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has started mobilising for industrial action slated for next Wednesday. It is not clear whether the body will be part of today’s meeting, as its members have vehemently rejected the new fuel price template released recently by the government.

TUC is asking the Federal Government to revert to the old template until negotiations with labour unions are finalised.

While addressing reporters at the end of an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Friday in Abuja, TUC’s president, Festus Osifo, noted the body is not happy with the unilateral decision of the Federal Government to remove petroleum subsidy.

He said TUC’s expectation was that the government should have engaged organised labour first and strongly stated that the body’s next line of action is dependent on how the government reacts to its demands