As the seven-day ultimatum given to the Ogun state government elapses without concrete decision on its several demands, the Ogun state workers have declared an indefinite strike, starting from Tuesday .
Addressing the large gathering of workers at the Arcade ground of the state secretariat, Oke Mosan, Monday, the Chairman, Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), Comrade Isa Olude, noted that the solemn assembly was to ratify the decisions of the trade union leadership on the strike action.
Olude stressed that it is no longer news that workers in Ogun state are tensed up, restless, agitated because they are frustrated; all of which are ominous signs of the collapse of productivity.
“Permit me to bring to your notice that on 18th Sept. 2020 after a week-long extensive deliberations, the Government and Organized Labour signed an MoU that contained a clause in item V, that: ‘other demands by Labour would be subjects of joint reviews, the first of which will be in March, 2021.
“Up till now, the review was never done, let alone implementing the other demands”, he declared.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Akeem Lasisi, noted that public servants in the state have been made to witness an historic staggered salaries, adding that the failure of the government to fulfil its financial obligations has pitched labour leadership against the workers.
He further stressed that the leadership of the Organised Labour is being inundated with the barrage of criticism, insults, attacks and acrimonious comments from workers across the state.
The Ogun state Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Emmanuel Bankole, after seeking the workers’ votes, declared the indefinite strike which according to him will ground all activities of government from 12am, Tuesday.
Part of the workers demands Includes the payment of gross salary, failure of which has led to non-payment of deductions for 21 months, implementation of the statutory consequential adjustment of 33.3% by Section 173 (subsection 3) of the 1999 constitution as amended; that makes it mandatory to also increase the Pension whenever the mainstream of the service enjoy salary increments or automatic increase in pension every five years, whichever comes first.
Other demands are; Increment in grossly inadequate N500 million quarterly release to clear the backlog of gratuities which has amounted to a whooping ₦68billion, stoppage of dysfunctional Contributory Pension Scheme, among other demands.
