Labour Demands First Line Charge for Worker’s Pay Package Ahead of May Day

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

Ahead of this year’s International Workers Day, the organised labour has tasked the various governments in the country to ensure that worker’s welfare was treated as first in their priority ladder.

Speaking at the Pre-May Day Lecture held in Abuja, President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Festus Osifo, said there was the need to put the welfare and interest of the people first in driving any government policy.

Osifo, who was represented by the Deputy president of TUC, Comrade Eitm Okon, said the theme of the 2024 May Day celebration, “Workers First” was significant because there was a need to put the people first, and to put the workers first in a very government policy.

“Today marks another turning point in history of trade union movement in this country. When we look at the theme of the 2024 Worker’s Day celebration, which is People First, that is very significant because we need to put the people first, we need to put the workers first and when you put the people first, you put your family first. This is what is called first line charge.

“Today, we have experienced various policy mismatch and summersaults where the people’s welfare are put at the bottom of the radar,” citing for instance, the increase in electricity tariff. “A case in point was the increase in electricity tariff without following due process and without consultation with various stakeholders who would have been involved taking critical decisions that affects the lives of workers,” he said.

The TUC president said labour played a very critical role in every productive venture, adding that to neglect the workers was to ignore the significant role such an important arm of production plays.