Kogi organized labour to begin strike over unpaid wages

The organised labour in Kogi state have threatened to resume their suspended strike over failure of government to honour the agreement reached with them on the issues of worker’s salaries and sundry issues affecting members’ well-being.

A statement signed by the State chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Onuh Edoka and his Trade Union Congress ( TUC) counterpart, Ranti Ojo, directed workers to embark on the strike from Friday, September 22, when a sevenday strike notice to government would elapse.

The unions said the strike notice was sequel to the expiration of the time lag given to government within which to pay the July 2017 salary and to reverse some of the newly introduced rules not in tandem with the civil service rules.

The workers demanded among other things, “That government should as a matter of urgency, rescind its decision on clocking in and out policy in the public service of Kogi state, which aims at casualising the service on daily pay basis. This negates the provisions of National Councils on Establishment’s principles and practices guiding the civil service in the country.

“In addition, workers of Kogi state are not miners or workers of close-shop companies like Dangote whose workers clock in and out. We find it extremely difficult to comprehend the issue, because government that could not fulfill its obligations to workers is out on a witch-hunting mission on monitoring and compelling workers with a draconian policy of clock in and out.

“That government should as a matter of urgency rescind its punitive policy of contributory pension scheme, as it will be difficult for government to pay its counterpart funding because salaries are not being paid regularly.”

The unions also asked government to implement the collective agreement entered into with them on August 1, 2016 without any further delay.