The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has vowed to fight any attempt by governmentat all levels to sack workers just to sustain the lifestyle of a few politicians who earn million of naira monthly for doing nothing.
Reacting to a statement by Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun, that the federal government cannot sustain paying N162 billion monthly as salary to its over-bloated work force, the union said that it was an excuse too many coming from government.
The TUC, in a statement by its president, Bobboi Bala Kaigama, and Acting Secretary General, Simeso Amachree, said it “is bewildered at the numerous ludicrous excuses coming from virtually all segments of the three tiers of government and even some private individuals seeking to justify the failure of some state governments to pay the wage bill of workers and execute certain needful projects.”
It wondered how government could contemplate “sacking a worker that earns N18,000 national minimum wage while leaving politicians whose salaries and allowances are in millions.”
“This does not make economic sense,” it claimed and added:”The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria will fight to finish any attempt to sack Nigerians for errors that are not theirs. It is peak of injustice to sack a worker who earns a stipend just to be able to sustain payment of millions of naira to politicians.
“We cannot be made to bear the brunt of what we do not know about just to massage the ego and pockets of a privileged few. Nobody or group should prompt a disruption of the prevailing peaceful industrial atmosphere in the country.”
