The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately reverse the suspension of the elected government of Rivers State and withdraw the tax bills currently before the National Assembly.
The labour leaders made the demands during the May Day celebration held at Eagle Square, Abuja.
They also urged the Federal and state governments to cease actions that erode the civic space and deepen it for the sake of the nation.
The NLC and TUC further demanded democratic accountability, built on transparent governance, electoral reforms, and an end to the suppression of dissent.
They also called for an end to the “genocidal killings and bloodletting” across the country, emphasizing that the number one duty of the government is ensuring the safety of lives and property of citizens.
On the tax bills, the labour leaders argued that they were crafted without the input of the NLC and TUC, and impose a burden on workers while letting the rich and corporations off the hook.
They also demanded an immediate reduction in the telecommunication tariff from 50% to 35%, and an immediate salary adjustment commensurate with current economic realities.
Other demands by the labour leaders include the immediate payment of all outstanding allowances, pensions, and gratuities across the nation, restoration of gratuity payments, upward review of retirement age, and automatic adjustment of pensions to reflect inflationary trends.
