Ogun workers declare indefinite strike over alleged deductions, insensitivity

Workers in Ogun State on Monday declared an indefinite strike over the failure of the government to pay their 21 months’ salary deduction and other demands from the government.

The Industrial action which takes effect from Tuesday, according to the labour, will affect ministries, agencies, hospitals and public schools following the alleged insensitivity of the government to their pathetic plight.

The union under the aegis of Organised Labour had last week given Governor Dapo Abiodun seven days to address their demands or face industrial action.

The leadership of the organised labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC), declared the strike while addressing workers at the arcade ground at the governor’s office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta yesterday.

They accused Abiodun of non-remittance of 21 months of salary deductions, eight years of unpaid Statutory Leave Allowances and breach of the State Pension Reform Law, 2006 (amended 2013) in the implementation of the Contributory Pension Scheme.

Their grievances were contained in a letter dated June 21 and addressed to Governor Abiodun.

The letter was jointly signed by the State Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Emmanuel Bankole; Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Akeem Lasisi and the Chairman of the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC), Isa Olude.

Following the expiration of the ultimatum, the labour leaders addressed workers at the Arcade ground at the state secretariat, Oke – Mosan, Abeokuta, where they declared an indefinite strike.

The NLC Chairman, Emmanuel Bankole said the government had failed to yield to the labour’s several calls for negotiation.

Bankole said the indefinite strike action would allow the government to have a rethink and call for a dialogue over the industrial dispute.

“We are here today to take our destiny in our own hands. The leadership is ready. We must start a new beginning, we must tell them (government) that we are workers and we are not slaves. The time is now, a stop must be put to this.

“Our feature and the feature of the workers of Ogun state is in great jeopardy. Governance is a serious business and whoever that is not ready for it, I think it is time we tell such person go home.

“Having given them enough time but they are so busy to attend to us, maybe of we go home for some time, they will have time to attend to our matter. There is no going back. We have given them so long rope to draw.

“It is my opinion and my conviction that Ogun state workers are saying that we should embark on a full-blown strike.

“We are embarking on indefinite strike from 12mid night, let all the workers stay back at home. The implication is that nobody is expected to work tomorrow.

“Anyone who reports for duty tomorrow (Tuesday) is a traitor and it has never been well with a traitor,” Bankole said. (Daily Independent)