Strike: Labour Gives Gov. Fayemi 14-day Ultimatum

The organised labour in Ekiti State has issued a 14-day ultimatum effective from Monday, July 20 to the state government within which to meet its demands on workers’ welfare issues or risk strike action.

The organised labour, comprising Nigeria Labour Congress; Trade Union Congress; and Joint Negotiating Council, rising from their meeting in Ado Ekiti, accused the Dr Kayode Fayemi administration of turning blind eyes to workers’ welfare.

Labour stated its position in a letter to the governor entitled, “14 days ultimatum to implement matters affecting workers’ welfare in Ekiti State to avoid three days warning strike” signed by the chairmen of NLC, Kolapo Olatunde; TUC, Sola Adigun; and JNC, Kayode Fatomiluyi; and secretaries of JNC, Gbenga Olowoyo; TUC, Kuloogun Lawrence; and NLC Taiwo Akinyemi.

According to the statement made available to journalists in Ado Ekiti on Saturday, the organised labour, which reached the decision at its meeting on July 16, said it “felt dazed and betrayed by the state government for not acceding to any of workers’ demand since the beginning of the lifespan of the present administration which is now close to two years. This is painful.”

While calling on the state government to implement all the listed items within 14 days effective from Monday, July 20, labour stated that if the government fails to meet its demands, “workers shall embark on three days warning strike commencing in the midnight of Monday 3rd August 2020 without fail”.

The items, according to the statement included “non-implementation of financial benefits arising from the letters of promotion given to all deserving workers from years 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 and advancement and government’s decision to petition the outstanding promotions for the years 2015, 2016 and 2017 and contemplating the implementation of 2018 and 2019 only.

“Non-payment of Leave Bonus for the years 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 to all deserving workers in the state; non-payment of special hazard allowance for health workers; and non-payment of deductions such as cooperative societies deductions, bank loan repayment, union check-off dues among other deductions in recent time by the present state government under the guise of the introduction of net salary payment”.

They also sought “with immediate effect, payment of three months gross salary arrears and five months deductions for state workers and secondary school teachers; six months gross salaries and six months deductions for local government workers and primary school teachers”.

The workers also rejected “the speculated percentage salary payment to workers” and as well “failure to inject more funds into Car and Housing loans to enable the fund to reach out to a higher number of applicants that are yet to be attended to”.

The organised labour also resolved to support any popular decision taken by the pensioners on their pensions and gratuities and as well called on the state government to, “with immediate effect, allow final agreement to be signed for implementation” of the new minimum wage and its consequential adjustment.