By Lateef Dada
Osogbo
Civil servants in Osun state yesterday defied the directives by the state government not to include the workers between levels 1-7 in their strike.
The workers led by the state chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Babatunde Adekomi, barricaded the entrance of the government office at Abere, Osogbo and preventing people from entering the government office.
They were monitored by security operatives who stood at the entrance to apparently maintain peace and forestall break down of law and order.
The state government had directed workers between levels 1-7 to resume on yesterday because they were not being owed any salary.
Speaking with newsmen, Adekomi said the directive by the state government did not affect their strike because salary was not the only thing they were fighting for.
According to him, “the issue on ground is beyond salary, levels 1-7 have not been promoted since 2012, some of them were employed temporarily and have not been confirmed and the rules say after 2 years, they are due to be confirmed.
“The second aspect is, the slogan of labour says an injury to one is an injury to all. They cannot divide us. It is the gimmick they have been using and it has always failed.
“What we are saying is, let our people be promoted, let our people be confirmed, our fathers that have worked meritoriously for this state, let them be paid, all of us on level 8 and above, let us be paid our full salary.”
Asked if the union was ready to suspend their strike if they were paid, Adekomi said “we cannot jettison promotion even if they pay the salary.”
The state chairman, Nigeria Civil Service Union, Comrade Christopher Arapasogo, said the contributory pension was the major issue for their demand.
